Recipe: Apple Strudel

Apple Strudel

Dough:
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, well beaten
2 Tbsp. Oil
1/2 cup likewarm water
3/4 cup melted butter

Put flour mixed with salt into a bowl. Make a hole in the center of the
flour and add eggs, oil and water. Stir until a soft dough is formed that
comes clean away from the sides of the bowl (it does not matter if some
flour is left in the bowl). Knead dough on a lightly floured board for
15 minutes or until it is of much the same consistency as bubble gum.
Cover it with an inverted warm ceramic bowl and let it rest in a warm
place for 1 hour. Cover a large kitchen table with a cloth. Rub the sheet
with flour. Roll out the dough as large as possible with a rolling pin,
lifting up dough frequently to prevent sticking. Brush dough lightly
with a little of the melted butter. Now remove any rings tha may be on
your fingers and dust your hands with flour. Place your floured hands
palm side down under the dough. Now with your knuckles gently pull the
dough from the center out, gently stretching until it is as thin as paper.
When finished, it should be about 30 x 40 inches in size and some will
hang over the edge of the table. If any holes have formed, these may be
patched with small pieces of dough pressed firmly into place. Brush again
with melted butter, generously this time; about 3/4 cup of melted butter
should be used. (Save the remainder to brush over the outside of rolled-up
strudel.) With scissors trim the edges of the dough. Add the filling.

Filling:
1 cup toasted bread crumbs
6 green apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup raisins
1 cup broken walnuts or almonds, or a combination
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
grated rind of 1 lemon

Sprinkle the crumbs over the strudel dough, keeping a 2-inch margin around
all sides. Combine apples, raisins, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and lemon
rind. Pat this mixture into a long mount on the 30-inch side of the dough,
2 inches from the end. Fold over the 2-inch end margin. Now fold over the
dough the dough lenghtwise on both sides. Gradually lift the sheet and
very carefully roll up the strudel, taking care that the fragile dough does
not break. Shape with your fingers as you roll up the strudel. Place the
rolled strudel in a horseshoe shape on a buttered baking sheet. Brush with
the remaining melted butter. Bake in an oven preheated to 375 F, for 45-50
minutes until richly golden and flaky-crisp. Cool slightly after removing
from oven and while warm sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Serve while
still warm with vanilla sauce.