Terri's Apple Strudel

My friend recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, and while trying to think of what to bring a postnatal mother, it dawned on me that nothing is more comforting than baked apples.  I then  remembered that when my sister-in-law gave birth to her second child in Australia, and I was there visiting, her mother made these simple and delicious apple strudels for everyone to snack on.  Well, the plate would get cleaned up right away and we ended up making a batch of these almost daily!  Since then, I have made these every-so-often for a potluck, or a comforting treat, and I am brought back to the fond memories of slicing apples in a hot Australian kitchen with Nana Terri, while my 4 year old niece (at the time) snatched lemon-soaked apples from the bowl.  Sadly, Terri passed away 5 years ago, but her delicious and comforting treats always bring a smile to everyone's faces and happy memories of her to me.

Terri's Apple Strudel

 Serves 24

1 box frozen phyllo pastry, thawed

16-20 small-medium apples *

juice of 2 lemons

1/2 c white sugar

2 tsp cinnmon

1/2 tsp ground ginger (optional)

breadcrumbs
1 c butter, melted


Peel and cut the apples into approximately 1/2" pieces.  Place in a large bowl filled half full with cold water and juice of the lemons (this prevents the apples from browning).


In a smaller bowl, mix the sugar with the cinnamon and ginger (if using).

On a large, clean workspace, remove the pastry from the box and gently unfold it from it's wrapping.  As phyllo pastry dried out very quickly, always cover it with a lightly damp tea towel.  Remove one sheet of pastry from the pile and place on the clean countertop, ensuring you always cover the pile of pastry with the damp towel.  Using a pastry brush, brush melted butter over half of the rectangle of pastry, folding the unbuttered half overtop.  

Brush that with butter, and at the bottom, closest to you, and approximately 1" from the edge, place about 2 Tablespoons of the apples on the pastry.  Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of the sugar/cinnamon mixture, and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the breadcrumb mixture (this is used to soak up the juices so the pastry is not "wet").  

Gently pull the pastry sides over the apples, and brush with butter.  

Roll the pastry over the apples, until it looks like a tight little spring roll.  

Brush the top with butter and sprinkle with a little cinnamon/sugar.  

Place on a parchment lined, or greased baking sheet.  Continue this process with the remaining phyllo and apples.  Bake 375F oven for 20-30 min, until the pastry is golden brown.


If the phyllo tears, not to worry, as you can add another piece.  It's a very forgiving pastry!


* Any fruit such as pears and peaches can be added to these, but because the pastry is so thin, it is not a good idea to add a jam-like substance such as a cherry or blueberry pie filling.  That would work better in the thicker puff pastry.