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Looking for an appetizer that looks like you fussed but couldn’t be simpler to make? This Ham and Cheese Strudel is exactly that. Flaky puff pastry stuffed with deli ham, Swiss cheese, and a touch of stoneground mustard, finished with a simple faux-braiding technique that makes it look far more impressive than the effort it takes to put together. Five ingredients, one empty platter, and a recipe I’ve been making on repeat ever since I first brought it to a church gathering a few months ago.
An Elegant Appetizer That’s Easier Than It Looks
Though I came up with the recipe a few months ago, I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had time to share it until now. You know how that goes, right?
Seems like everyone I know and I are perpetually juggling a couple more balls than we can handle. And that’s exactly what inspired me to come up with this Ham and Cheese Strudel recipe.
A while back, my priest asked me to make the food for a smallish gathering at church. I was happy to be asked and happy to say yes. After all, that gathering was weeks away!
Of course, when the time came to follow through, I was knee-deep in a work project. I knew the menu didn’t have to be elaborate – simple and fresh is usually best anyway. But I did want to have at least one item on the menu that tasted terrific and looked elegant.
Thankfully, I got an idea for a recipe that fit the bill perfectly. These Ham and Cheese Strudels are lovely to look at and taste so, so good!
Flaky pastry is stuffed with ham, cheese, and a touch of mustard for a delicious savory appetizer. A simple faux-braiding technique makes that pastry look elegant and extra special.
And boy, oh boy! Did they ever disappear quickly!
As we all know, an empty platter is the true measure of success in cooking. On that scale, Ham and Cheese Strudel is a huge winner. Pretty impressive for a recipe that only takes 5 ingredients.
Speaking of five ingredients….
What You Need to Make Ham and Cheese Strudel
- Puff Pastry – You can find puff pastry in the freezer section of any supermarket. I always keep a box or two on hand, because flaky, buttery, ready-made puff pastry is amazing! It’s the basis of some of my favorite recipes, including Sausage Rolls with Date and Rosemary and homemade Blackberry Turnovers.Any brand of frozen puff pastry can work here, but nearly always use Pepperidge Farms. I’ve heard there are even good gluten-free puff pastry brands available. But I haven’t tried them myself.
- Ham – Any good quality, thin-sliced deli ham will work here. You can go with plain, hickory smoked, maple, black forest – all of it will work. If possible, I’d get it sliced from the deli case at your market, rather than prepackaged. The quality tends to be superior.
- Cheese – Swiss is my preference for this recipe. However, you can choose other flavorful, semi-hard varieties. Cheddar or Colby would be great. Stay away from very mild favored types such as mozzarella or provolone. Parmesan is a possibility, but it could be a little too strong in flavor. You don’t want to overpower the taste of the ham. Also, no soft cheeses such as brie. The cheese you use needs to be something you can grate or shred.
- Mustard – Stoneground is perfect for this recipe. But you could substitute another flavorful mustard, like Dijon or Brown. Stay away from plain yellow mustard. It doesn’t have enough oomph for this recipe.
- Egg yolk – you’re going to swoosh it up with a little water to make an egg wash. That will give the baked strudel a gorgeous and appetizing color.
You’ll also need a little flour for rolling out the pastry and a bit of water for the egg wash. But I don’t really count those as ingredients since pretty much everyone has them on hand.
How to Make Ham and Cheese Strudel
This is a wonderfully simple recipe!
Preparing the Puff Pastry
Before you begin, take the puff pastry out of the freezer and let it thaw on the counter for 40 to 60 minutes. You still want it to be very cold, but not so frozen that it breaks when you unfold it.
Once it’s ready, you’ll roll the pastry out on a floured surface. You want the dough rectangle to be just a little thinner, so roll the dough about three times in each direction.
Most puff pastry is folded into thirds in the box. So, think of the dough as having three equal sections.
Move the rolled-out pastry onto a piece of baking parchment placed in a rimmed baking sheet. It’s easier to do this now than after you add the filling.
Now, the Fillings
You’re going to layer the ham down the center section, with equal amounts of dough left on each side. Then, you’ll use a brush to paint a thin layer of mustard on the ham. After that, sprinkle the shredded cheese over the ham.
A Simple, Faux Pastry Braiding Technique
Now comes the fun part! The faux braiding technique!
Use a sharp knife to make a perpendicular cut into the pastry all the way down both sides. You don’t have to be exact, but the cuts should be about two inches apart. Just eyeball it.
Starting at the bottom, take one of the cut pastry slices and fold it over the filling. Pull it gently and angle the slice slightly upward. Do the same with the slice on the opposite side, making sure it crosses over the first piece.
You’ll keep doing that all the way up– first one side and then the other. The effect will look like a braid and be so pretty when it bakes.
When you get to the top, just gently tuck the ends of the pastry under the strudel.
Finally, you’ll paint the egg wash all over the top and sides of the strudel and bake. That’s all there is to it!
Serving, Slicing, and What to Do With Leftovers (Spoiler: There Won’t Be Any)
When it comes to serving, you can either leave it whole and let people cut their own slices or pre-slice it for them.
One strudel will make about 8 to 10 appetizers, depending on how large you slice them. While I use these for appetizers, cutting the strudel in half would give you two yummy portions for lunch or dinner.
No need for me to tell you how to store leftovers. Because, trust me, there won’t be any!
Print
Ham and Cheese Strudel — 5-Ingredient Appetizer
- Yield: Makes 8 to 10 appetizers, or 2 lunch or dinner entrees 1x
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
- 8 oz deli sliced ham
- 4 oz shredded Swiss cheese
- 1 T stoneground mustard
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 T water
- Flour for rolling out pastry
Instructions
- Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and allow to thaw on counter for 40 to no more than 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350.
- Unfold one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle top lightly with flour and roll the pastry about 3 times in each direction, so it is a little thinner.
- Place the rolled rectangle of pastry rectangle on a piece of baking parchment that has been placed in a rimmed baking pan.
- Layer the ham evenly along the center third of the pastry (in the longer direction). There should be equal third of pastry left on either side of the ham. Brush mustard over the ham. Sprinkle the cheese on the ham.
- Use a sharp knife to make perpendicular cuts from the filling to the outside edge of the pastry, along on both sides, from top to bottom. The cuts should be about 2 inches wide.
- Starting at top, fold one cut pastry piece over filling, angling slightly downward. Fold slice on the opposite side over filling in the same manner, partially covering the edge of first slice. Repeat all the way down the strudel, folding over one piece and then one on the opposite side, creating a faux braid effect. Tuck edges of final slices under strudel.
- Whisk the egg yolk and water together to create a wash. Brush the egg wash all over the top and sides of the strudel.
- Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is turning golden brown.
