Phyllo dough (pastry sheets or strudel leaves)
1/2 cup home-made bread crumbs
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup melted butter

4 cups apples, finely sliced
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Follow store-bought package directions for phyllo dough.

Brush each pastry sheet used with butter and then sprinkle each pastry sheet with bread crumbs and ground almonds (Generally package directions suggest using 4 pastry sheets).

Mix apples with sugar, cinnamon, raisins and chopped walnuts.

Evenly spread the apple mixture on the top layer of the pastry sheets, making sure to leave about 3 inches all around the sides.

Fold over ends of the phyllo dough (Will look like a box, flaps inwards).

Roll, and turn into a log.

Place log, seam side down, on greased pan.

Bake in a 350 F degree oven for about 30 to 40 minutes.

Cool before removing from pan.

It's assumed (I certainly assumed) that the apple strudel had its origin in Austria or Germany. I recently learned that Italians in Undine have been doing it for centuries. Phyllo dough has its origins in Greece or Turkey. So the apple strudel is one of the first "fusion" delights. Personally, I find making apple strudel at home difficult. But then that could just be me. Few (if any) Italian pastry shops in Montreal sell strudels, but they're easily available in French and German ones, so anyone who wants to partake of this heavenly food can. Photo: Mary Melfi.

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