If you'd consider a chef-inspired three-course meal for four for $20 the answer to your prayers, Chef on a Shoestring is a must-have. More often than not, following recipes shared by great chefs involves hours in the kitchen and breaking the bank, but this companion to the weekly segment of the same name on CBS's Saturday Early Show is proof that great food does not have to come at a great price.
What makes this strudel unique is that chef Reichel uses cornstarch to thicken the apple filling. Reichel strongly recommends that the strudel be baked as soon as it is shaped to keep the apples from making the dough soggy. Similarly, be very careful not to overcook the apple mixture on the stovetop; the apples should retain some firmness at this stage because they will continue to cook.
Servings: 6
2 cups apple juice
3 Jonathan or Granny Smith apples
1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup shelled pecans or walnuts, crumbled into bits
5 sheets phyllo dough
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
Whipped cream or ice cream (optional)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
In a saucepot, bring the apple juice to a boil over high heat.
Peel and core the apples and cut them into thin wedges. Place the apple wedges in the boiling apple juice. Add the sugar and cinnamon to the pot and stir to combine the ingredients. Cook the apple mixture until the apples are just cooked through but still firm, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the cornstarch to 1/4 cup water and stir to dissolve. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the apple mixture. Add the raisins and nuts and remove from the heat. Let the apple mixture cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Lay out the phyllo dough and cover with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying. Separate 1 sheet and place it on a piece of parchment or wax paper. Brush the phyllo sheet lightly with melted butter and place another sheet of phyllo dough on top of the buttered sheet. Butter the second sheet and add a third sheet of phyllo. Butter the third sheet.
Place the cooled apple mixture across the length of the narrow end of the phyllo stack. Roll the phyllo around the apple mixture and keep rolling into a log shape. Brush the outside of the log with butter and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon and sugar. Transfer on parchment paper to a baking sheet and bake seam-side down in the preheated oven until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Slice and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
