Winter puddings no.2 - let’s comfort eat our way through this!
Scrumptious Apple Strudel
Apples*, cinnamon, brown sugar - say no more. I’m feeling comforted just thinking about eating this. It’s unlikely, but if there’s any leftovers, it’s also excellent with a cup of tea the next day.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, more if needed later
3 apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced* (1 Granny Smith and 2 Gala apples worked well)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp orange juice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup raisins
10 filo pastry sheets
Icing sugar for dusting
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Make the filling. In a large pan heat butter and extra virgin olive oil. Add the sliced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and orange juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring as needed, for about 2 minutes. Stir in walnuts and raisins. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare a large baking tray lined with baking paper. Pour the juices from the apple filling into a small bowl and mix with a little more extra virgin olive oil (you’ll use this mixture to brush the filo sheets).
Lay 10 sheets of filo pastry flat on a clean surface (you can cover with a clean towel to keep the filo from drying.) Take 1 filo sheet and lay it on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with the mixture you prepared (apple filling juice and olive oil). Sprinkle a little brown sugar on top. Repeat the process with the remaining filo sheets.
Spoon apple filling towards the middle of the filo leaving about a 2-inch boarder of filo all around. Fold short edges of filo to cover 2 -inches of apple mixture on each end. Brush ends with extra virgin olive oil. Starting at long edge closest to you, fold filo over apple filling and roll towards the other end (not too tightly). Keep the seam on the bottom.
Brush strudel with extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 35 minutes or until filo turns a nice golden brown.
Remove from oven and let cool. Dust with icing sugar, add any walnuts or raisins remaining. Slice and serve.
* I suggest using this truly excellent apple coring/peeling gadget. I’m not one for gadgetry but this is special - it will change your approach to apples forever. If you get one, apple-eating will increase in your household by approximately 85% in the first month of ownership.