Hold onto your hats, folks: I’m hosting Easter.
Since my one sister has everyone over for Thanksgiving and my other sister hosts Christmas, Easter falls to me. I’ve hosted Easter brunch two or three times now and I’ve got a menu that seems to work. It includes a Breakfast Strudel recipe I found in Cuisine at Home magazine several years ago. I set the table and make the Strudels the night before, right up to step 6, so most of the work is done when my family arrives. My mom brings caramel rolls and I delegate a fruit salad and the makings of mimosas to my two sisters. I also nuke a bunch of bacon in the microwave (you had to know bacon would be involved).
This is one of those recipes that looks super impressive but is surprisingly easy. (Serving the Strudels on a beautiful white platter also ups the "wow" factor.) These day, the hardest part of hosting Easter brunch is trying to fit my mom, sisters, brothers-in-law, and nieces and nephew together at the same table.
Breakfast Strudel
Makes 2 strudels; total time: 45 minutes
1 box (1.1 lb.) puff pastry dough
2 T. unsalted butter
1 cup frozen cubed hash brown potatoes
1 cup red or green bell peppers, seeded, diced
½ cup onion, diced
1 cup smoked ham, diced
11 eggs (yes, you read that right--11)
2 T. minced fresh chives
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 T. orange juice
1 egg
1 T. water
2 T. Parmesan cheese, shredded
1. Preheat oven to 400º.
2. Thaw pastry according to package directions, about 30 minutes.
3. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and onion; sauté 3 minutes, then add ham.
4. Whisk eggs and chives together. Add them to the pan and scramble just until set. Season with salt and pepper to taste; off heat, stir in cream cheese and juice until blended. Refrigerate eggs while working with the pastry.
5. Unfold a pastry sheet on a work surface that’s been lightly dusted with flour. Roll pastry lengthwise to 12x10”, then transfer to a piece of parchment cut to fit a baking sheet. Trim pastry, fill with half the egg mixture, and braid as shown here (scroll down to the Online Extra Archives and click on "Braiding Puff Pastry" under Issue 48 - December 2004). Repeat with remaining pastry and egg filling. Lift parchment and strudels onto baking sheets.
6. Combine the remaining egg and water; brush over top of strudels. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing.