Pie and Pastry Bible (110 page)

Lay the stack of fillo on the counter and keep it well covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent drying.

Remove 1 sheet of fillo and place it on the prepared cloth with a 17-inch-long edge toward you. (Figure 1) Brush it lightly with the butter (using about 2 teaspoons), starting around the edges where it will dry out the most quickly and then dappling it lightly all over. Overlap a second sheet on top of it, starting 3 to 4 inches in from the left edge so the fillo rectangle is 20 inches wide when finished. (Figure 2) Butter as before. Continue with the remaining sheets of fillo, building the rectangle downward, toward you, by overlapping about 2 inches of the fillo at the bottom edge, buttering each sheet as before. (Figures 3, 4, 5, 6) If each sheet is 12 inches high, three overlapped sheets will result in a length of 32 inches. The final dimensions of the sheet will thus be approximately 32 inches long by 20 inches wide. The exact length is unimportant.

Starting about 6 inches from the bottom edge of the dough, make a rectangle of filling about 9 inches by 12 to 14 inches across the dough. Fold over the sides so that the edges just reach the filling, leaving a 1½-inch border on either side of it. (The dough will be about 17 inches wide at this point.) Use the sheet or cloth or your finger to lift the bottom edge of dough and flip it over the filling. It doesn’t have to cover the entire filling at this point. Brush the top of the dough and the side borders with some of the butter and use the cloth to roll it, brushing it with butter every other roll. If necessary, brush off any flour clinging to the dough before brushing it with butter. Use the cloth to flip the roll onto the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Tuck under the ends. The strudel will be about 16 inches long. Brush the top with butter and use a sharp knife to cut a few horizontal steam vents in the dough. At this point, the strudel can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight or baked immediately.

All strudel, except those with a cheese or milk filling, should be baked at 400°F. for about 35 minutes. It is best to bake strudel in the upper part of the oven on a preheated oven stone or baking sheet, so the bottom crisps and the top browns. The outer edges of the strudel tend to brown faster than the middle, so, halfway through the baking, cover them loosely with aluminum foil.

A baked strudel can be reheated in a 300°F. oven for 5 minutes if it is at room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes if refrigerated.

APPLE STRUDEL

I
was in my twenties when I tasted my first apple strudel at Kleine Konditorei, a café in Yorkville, the old German section of New York City. It was unlike any pastry I had ever experienced, juicy slices of warm apple enfolded in a crisp leafed pastry. It transported me to another world, of Old Vienna and a baking tradition I had only dreamed about. I never would have dreamed that someday I would be turning out fabulous strudel myself. If you follow this recipe, it will be a reality for you too.

EQUIPMENT

A 36- to 48-inch-wide table, preferably round, covered with a clean sheet or tablecloth rubbed with a little flour, and a 17- by 12-inch cookie sheet or half-size sheet pan, buttered

Make the dough (page 387).

MAKE THE BRUSEL

In a small frying pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the bread crumbs, sprinkle with the sugar, and sauté for a few minutes until golden, stirring constantly. Empty the crumbs into a small bowl and set aside.

OVEN TEMPERATURE: 400°F. • BAKING TIME: 35 MINUTES	MAKES: ONE 16-INCH-LONG STRUDEL SERVES: 8
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
1 recipe Strudel Dough (page 387)		8.5 ounces	245 grams
melted unsalted butter, prefer ably clarified (see page 629)	8 tablespoons	4 ounces	114 grams
Brusel unsalted butter	1½ teaspoons	0.25 ounce	7 grams
fresh bread crumbs	½ cup	1 ounce	28 grams
sugar	¼ teaspoon	•	•
Filling 1¼ pounds apples (about 3 medium), peeled, cored, and sliced inch thick	4 cups (sliced)	1 pound 454 grams (sliced)
freshly squeezed lemon juice	1½ teaspoons	0.25 ounce	8 grams
sugar	¼ cup	1.75 ounces	50 grams
ground cinnamon	½ teaspoon	•	•
nutmeg, preferably freshly grated	teaspoon	•	•
salt	teaspoon	•	•
walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped	cup	approx 1 ounce	33 grams
optional: powdered sugar for dusting	approx. 1 tablespoon	•	•
optional: Cræme Fraîche (page 558) or lightly sweetened whipped cream (pages 551-53)	1 cup	approx. 8 ounces	232 grams