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Cherry-Cheese Strudel Pie
2 bricks (8 oz each) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel
12 sheets Fillo pastry, thawed if frozen
Butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
1.) Heat oven to 350F. Have ready a 9 in. pie plate.
2.) Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in egg and lemon peel.
3.) Unfold Fillo. Place a stack of 12 sheets on work surface(wrap and store rest as directed on package). Using inverted pie plate as a guide, cut a 12 in. circle through all 12 layers. Cover circles and scraps with plastic wrap.
4.) To Assemble: Remove 2 circles at a time: spray top of each with a nonstick spray. Gently press over bottom and up sides of pie plate. Repeat 4 times (a total of 10). Smooth surface with fingers. Spread cream-cheese mixture, then cherry pie filling in pie plate.
5.) To Garnish: Separate 4 pieces stacked scraps: coat top of each with nonstick cooking spray. Pleat 1 at a time like a fan to form ruffles. Arrange around end of pie filling, tucking end of each ruffle into filling with tip of a knife. Repeat with remaining scraps to cover most of the edge. To complete edge and center, cut remaining 2 Fillo circles in thirds. Spray and pleat strips and scraps to finish edge and create center.
6.) Bake 40 to 50 minutes until Fillo ruffles are a golden-brown. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered at least 2 hours until thoroughly chilled. Or refrigerate, either in a pie keeper or tightly covered by an inverted bowl, up to 3 days.
Courtesy of Woman’s Day