Ingredients:
DOUGH
3 to 3 1/2 cups high-gluten flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
? cup vegetable oil
1 cup lukewarm water
FILLING
12 Cortland, Granny Smith, Rome, or Golden Delicious apples (about 2
quarts)*
1 cup sugar (depending on the tartness of the apples)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
? to 2/3 cup good apricot, strawberry, or other jam, or orange marmalade
3 cups finely ground and dry leftover sweet rolls, challah, or cake
? cup vegetable oil |
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees or to its lowest setting and leave the
door open. Or make sure your kitchen is very warm.
2. To make the dough mix 3 cups of the flour, the sugar and the salt on
a board. Make a well in the four and pour into the well the oil ad the
water. Mix with a fork and then knead well with your hands,
sprinkling on more four as necessary until the dough forms a
workable mass. Roll it back and forth to seal it. Using your hands,
grasp a fistful of the portion nearest you, then swing your arm and
slam it down treating the dough as you would a club. As it hits the
boar the dough will stretch. Keep taking additional fistfuls until the
dough is pliable and does not show and tears. It should be as
smooth and elastic as a baby's bottom. Gather the dough together,
place it in a well-greased ceramic or wooden bowl, cover, and let rest
in a warm place, either in the oven, which you will turn off now, or a
warm spot for about 2 to 3 hours. (Although Mrs. Salander does not
do this, you can also make the dough in a food processor, pulsing it
until it is as smooth as possible.)
3. On a table or other flat surface that is at least 3 feet by 5 feet, spread
a clean sheet or old tablecloth so that the edges hang slightly over
the sides. Sprinkle the sheet with flour and roll the dough to form a 9-
by 13-inch rectangle. Then with your fingers press the dough out as
thin as possible, trying not to make any tears in the dough.
4. (The novice may want to ask a friend to help stretch the dough.)
Then, using your hands, start stretching from the center, drawing
your fingers over the entire length of the dough, manipulating it from
underneath, and gently lifting the dough with your fingertips until
you can read a newspaper through it. It should be stretched to th
edge of the 5- by 3-foot surface. When you are finished, the dough
will cover the entire table's surface. Try to minimize the number of
holes, but a few won't matter. Pull off any thickened edge of
unstretched dough. Let dough dry for about 5 minutes.
5. Peel and chop the apples. Scatter them along the wide edge of the
dough in a long mound about 2 to 3 inches wide and 1 to 2 inches
high, leaving about a two-inch border of dough. Sprinkle the apples
with the sugar and cinnamon; drop dollops of jam over the apples.
Sprinkle the cake crumbs over the rest of the dough-this will keep the
layers separate-and drizzle the oil over the same stretched dough.
6. Taking hold of the sheet on the 5-foot side, lift the sheet up and over
the apples to start rolling up the dough jelly-roll style. When
completely rolled, roll the strudel back and forth gently to seal. It will
be about 3 inches in diameter. Take a little oil in your hands and rub
on the top and sides of the strudel.
7. Place a greased jelly-roll pan or cookie sheet next to the strudel.
Using your hands, gently lift one half of the strudel on the sheet or
pan and then carefully transfer the rest onto the cookie sheet. You
many have to form the pastry into a large crescent or spiral or you
may have to use 2 cookie sheets and break the strudel in half. If you
break it in half make sure to seal the ends. (If desired, you can freeze
the strudel at this point.)
8. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven on the top rack of the oven for
45 minutes or until golden. If the strudel begins to brown too
quickly, lower the heat.
9. Remove from the oven an immediately brush the strudel with the
apple juices surrounding it. Let it rest on the cookie sheet until
lukewarm. Slice and serve. |