Description
This dish from our friend @thewonkystove is a variation on a Ukrainian vertuta, using a pumpkin spiced meringue filling. A vertuta is a spiraled baked dessert that can be either savory or sweet and similar to a strudel. Pumpkin (as well as cheese, apples, and cherries) is a popular filling, usually gently spiced with vanilla and sugar and baked in a flakey dough. This one is inspired by two of Anisa’s favorite desserts, pumpkin pie and vertuta.
Ingredients
- 1 package Athens Phyllo® Dough (9” x 14”), thawed
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons whole cubed butter
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar spiced walnuts, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs, separated
- 5 tablespoons powdered sugar
- Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Thaw phyllo, following thawing instructions on package. Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a clean dry bowl, whip egg whites with sugar until soft peaks are formed.
In a separated bowl combine pumpkin, egg yolk and spices.
Fold the chopped walnuts into the whipped egg whites. Then mix with the pumpkin mixture until combined into a lightly streaked “batter”.
Lay out a single sheet of phyllo dough and brush with melted butter. Top with the next sheet and continue layering 5 sheets, leaving the final sheet unbuttered. Spread 1/3 cup filling over the buttered phyllo sheet stack and roll into a log, long side up. Each log will be 5 phyllo sheets thick, making 6 logs all together.
Into a buttered 9″ pie dish, roll the log into a spiral set in the middle of the pie pan. Continue layering, filling and rolling each sheet around the initial spiral. Dot the strudel/vertuta with butter, and dust over with 4 tablespoons of powdered sugar.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Cool until warm to the touch, slice and serve with whipped cream.
Nutrition
Serving size: 1 slice, Amount per serving: Calories 294, Total Fat – 24g, Sodium – 19g, Total Carbohydrate – 19g, Dietary Fiber – 1g, Sugars – 14g, Protein – 2.5g, Vitamin B12 – 33%, Riboflabin – 8%, Thiamin – 4%, Folate – 4%
