Michaelmas Mushroom Strudel

175g butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed finely
450g mixed mushrooms, chestnut, field, oyster, shitake etc.
2tbsp mushroom ketchup
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
25g pine nuts, toasted
25g white breadcrumbs
55g dried cranberries, soaked in
50ml brandy
8-10 small sheets filo pastry
2-3 tbsp sesame seeds
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt half the butter in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook on the Simmering Plate for two minutes, and then add the garlic, cover and transfer to the floor of the Simmering Oven for 20 minutes to soften. Place the remaining butter in a ramekin to melt at the back of the AGA top plate on a piece of kitchen paper. Return the onions and garlic to the Simmering Plate and add the mushrooms and stir well so they become coated with the buttery juices. Continue to cook here for a few minutes until they are cooked.

Transfer to a large bowl and spread out in a thin layer so that the mixture quickly cools. After 20 minutes stir in the mushroom ketchup, soy sauce, thyme, pine nuts and breadcrumbs. Season well with salt, pepper and a good grating of nutmeg. Keep a clean tea towel handy for covering the opened filo pastry until it is used as can dry out quickly in a warm kitchen.

Build the strudel on a large piece of Bake-O-Glide or baking parchment. Place one sheet of pastry on this with the longest side towards you and brush with a little melted butter. Repeat with three layers added on top of the first. Fill lengthways using half of the prepared mixture. Down the middle of the top of the filling scatter half of the soaked cranberries in a tight line. Fold in the ends and roll using the Bake-O-Glide or parchment. Transfer to a full size baking tray or plain shelf lined with Bake-O-Glide or parchment. Make a second strudel with the remaining pastry and filling.

Brush the strudels well with the remaining butter and scatter the sesame seeds over. Bake on a grid shelf on the second set of runners above. Cook for 30-35 minutes until golden brown, turning once. Serve each slice with spiced cranberry compote or kumquat chutney or relish.

Tip: This recipe can be assembled ahead of time and cooked from frozen. Start with the first ten minutes with the baking tray on the floor of the Roasting Oven before moving onto a grid shelf for the remaining cooking time, and allow an extra 5 minutes.