Shelly's Recipe

BREAKFAST STRUDEL

Category: Breakfast and Brunch

2 sheets store-bought puff pastry dough (one 1.1 lb box)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup frozen cubed hash-brown potatoes
1 cup seeded, diced red or green bell peppers
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup diced, smoked ham
12 eggs, divided
2 tbsp minced fresh chives
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp orange juice

1 tbsp water
2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

Thaw pastry according to pkg directions, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in bell peppers and onion; sauté 3 minutes, then add ham.

Whisk together 11 eggs and chives. Add them to the skillet; scramble just until set. Season eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Stir cream cheese and juice into scrambled eggs off heat until blended. Refrigerate mixture while working with pastry.

Unfold a pastry sheet on a work surface that’s been lightly dusted with flour. Roll pastry lengthwise into 10×12-inch rectangle. Transfer pastry to a piece of parchment cut to fit a baking sheet. Trim pastry, fill with half the egg mixture, and braid as illustrated in Steps to Success. Repeat with remaining pastry and egg filling. Lift parchment and strudels onto baking sheets.

Combine remaining egg and water; brush to coat top of strudels. Sprinkle strudels with cheese; bake until golden, 20–30 minutes. Let strudels cool 5 minutes before slicing. Makes: 2 strudels; 8 servings

Notes
You can refrigerate assembled braids overnight, or freeze them up to two weeks ahead. (Be sure to cover braids tightly with plastic wrap so the pastry does not dry out.) Before baking, brush strudel with egg wash and sprinkle with cheese. Add 20 minutes to baking time if strudel is frozen.