Pounding out pastry with Lisa Pegher

Symphony magazine says Lisa Pegher is “blazing a particularly rocky, untrodden trail” in the world of percussion. She grew up on a farm in western Pennsylvania, and began playing the drums at the age of 7. She made her debut as a solo percussionist with the Pittsburgh Symphony in her early 20s, and now she travels the globe to perform with symphony orchestras. But famous concert halls aren’t the only venues for this dynamic, award-winning artist, as she can be heard playing for the Chicago-based art rock band Mira Mira. She also is a composer and songwriter, already owning a stellar reputation for her innovative work. For more info and concert dates: www.lisapegher.com

“Which part of a formal meal is comparable to the percussion section of an orchestra?

The percussion section is like the icing on the cake. It accentuates everything and it’s just as good, if not better, on its own than it is on the cake.

“Percussion seems to take a lot of energy, so how do you fuel up before a big performance?

This girl is powered by tofu! Hard-pressed marinated tofu is a favorite pre-concert snack of mine. One can enjoy it hot or cold. You will also find me drinking plenty of vitamin water. I have found that when performing at such high energy for a long duration, hydration is key. This drink really helps power me through a performance.

“Ever use any foods to create certain sounds?

One of the main instruments I occasionally play is made from a hollowed-out, dried gourd. After it has hardened and dried, beads are wrapped around it, and it sounds great.

Vegetable and Tofu Strudels

12 sheets phyllo pastry

2 tablespoons melted butter

Crisp salad to serve

Filling:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

5 1/2 ounces potatoes, finely diced

1 leek, shredded

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoons garam masala

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 3/4 ounces okra, sliced

3 1/2 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

2 tomatoes, diced

8 ounces tofu, diced

1) Preheat oven to 375 F. To make filling, heat the oil and butter in a skillet. Add potatoes and leek and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the garlic and spices, okra, mushrooms, tomatoes and tofu, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, 5-7 minutes or until tender.

2) Lay the pastry out on a cutting board and brush each individual sheet with melted butter. Place 3 sheets on top of one another and repeat to make 4 stacks.

3) Spoon one quarter of the filling along the center of each stack and brush the edges with a little melted butter. Fold the short edges in and roll up lengthwise to form a cigar shape. Brush the outside with melted butter. Place the strudels on a greased baking sheet.

Cook the strudels in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve at once with a crisp salad of your choice. Serves 4