Strudel recipes

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By Linda Morel

Sweet and Sour Cabbage Strudel Filling

An appetizer or side dish; dairy (or parve, if phyllo sheets are brushed with olive oil).

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c. golden raisins
  • 1 small- to medium-sized cabbage
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 6 carrots, diced fine
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

Preparation:

  1. Soak raisins in 1/2 c. warm water while assembling ingredients.
  2. From cabbage, discard thick outer leaves. Remove core and coarse veins in some leaves. Slice cabbage into thin ribbons.
  3. In a large pot, heat the oil on a low flame and add cabbage and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until vegetables wilt.
  4. Meanwhile, place vinegar and brown sugar in a small bowl and mix with a spoon. Stir occasionally, until sugar dissolves.
  5. Add vinegar mixture to cabbage pot, along with raisins and 1/2 c. water. Stir ingredients. Cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften.
  6. Remove from flame and cool to room temperature. Pour ingredients into a colander and let liquids drain. Recipe can be made to this point 2 days in advance, placed in a covered container and refrigerated.
  7. Follow directions in “Turning frozen phyllo dough into flaky strudel.” In step 11, place 1-1/4 c. cabbage mixture on top of a pile of 6 phyllo sheets. There is enough cabbage filling for 3 strudels. (For a parve recipe, in steps 9, 10 and 14, brush the phyllo sheets with oil instead of butter.)
  8. If phyllo was brushed with butter, bake 40–45 minutes, or until dough browns and flakes. If brushed with oil, bake 30–35 minutes, or until dough browns and crisps.

Yield: 3 strudels, cut into 8 pieces, or 24 pieces in all.

Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Strudel Filling

An hors d’oeuvre, appetizer or side dish; dairy (or parve, if phyllo sheets are brushed with olive oil).

Ingredients:

  • 4 extra-large onions, sliced into thin disks
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil, or more if needed
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • 1-1/2 lb. white mushrooms, sliced thin

Preparation:

  1. With your fingers, separate onion disks into rings.
  2. On a medium flame, heat oil in a large pot. Add raw onion rings and sprinkle with salt. Stir occasionally.
  3. When onions start to brown, after about 15 minutes, add mushrooms and more salt, if desired. Stir occasionally, until mushrooms brown and onions are fully caramelized, about 25 minutes.
  4. Cool to room temperature. Place onion mixture in a colander to drain excess oil. Recipe can be made to this point 2 days in advance, placed in a covered container and refrigerated.
  5. Follow directions in “Turning frozen phyllo dough into flaky strudel.” In step 11, place half of onion mixture on top of a pile of six phyllo sheets. There’s enough filling for 2 strudels. (For a parve recipe, in steps 9, 10 and 14, use oil instead of butter.)
  6. If phyllo was brushed with butter, bake for 30 minutes, or until dough browns and flakes. If brushed with oil, bake for 20 minutes, or until dough browns and crisps.

Yield: 2 strudels, cut into 8 pieces, or 16 pieces in all.

Viennese Apple Strudel Filling

Dessert; dairy.

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp. butter
  • 4 medium-sized baking apples (Cortland, Gala, Rome, etc.), peeled, cored and sliced thin
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 c. apricot preserves
  • 1 tsp. brandy
  • 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 c. walnuts, chopped fine

Preparation:

  1. On a medium-low flame, melt butter in a large skillet. Add apples, sugar and cinnamon. Stir occasionally until apples soften, about 15 minutes. Add lemon zest, vanilla and walnuts. Stir well. Cool to room temperature. Recipe can be made to this point 2 days in advance, placed in a covered container and refrigerated.
  2. When ready to continue, place apricot preserves in a small saucepan on a low flame, until heated through. Remove from flame and stir in brandy.
  3. Follow directions in “Turning frozen phyllo dough into flaky strudel.” In step 11, place half of apple mixture on top of a pile of 6 phyllo sheets. There is enough filling for 2 strudels.
  4. Bake strudels for 35 minutes, or until dough browns and flakes. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Yield: 2 strudels, cut into 8 pieces, or 16 pieces in all.

Easy Pear and Cranberry Strudel Filling

Dessert; dairy (or parve, if phyllo sheets are brushed with vegetable oil).

Ingredients:

  • 4 (14-1/2-oz.) cans of pears, preferably pre-sliced
  • 1/2 c. dried cranberries
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar, optional
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. cardamom
  • 1/4 c. blanched almonds, chopped fine

Preparation:

  1. Drain pears in a colander and reserve the liquid. Pour 1 c. of the liquid into a small saucepan and discard the rest. Add the cranberries. Simmer on a low flame until cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Remove from flame and leave in liquid while assembling remaining ingredients. Drain in a colander.
  2. Slice pears, cut them into 3 or 4 chunks and place in a bowl. Add sugar, if pears need sweetening. Add remaining ingredients, including cranberries. Mix gently with a spoon to blend. Recipe can be made to this point 2 days in advance, covered and refrigerated.
  3. Follow directions in “Turning frozen phyllo dough into flaky strudel.” In step 11, place half of pear mixture on top of a pile of 6 phyllo sheets. There is enough filling for 2 strudels. (For a parve recipe, in steps 9, 10 and 14, brush the phyllo sheets with oil instead of butter.)
  4. If phyllo was brushed with butter, bake 35 minutes, or until dough browns and flakes. If brushed with oil, bake 25 minutes, or until dough browns and crisps. Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or lemon sorbet.

Yield: 2 strudels, cut into 8 pieces, or 16 pieces in all.

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