Maybe This Apple Strudel Recipe Will Be The One That Pleases Palate

Dear Laura: For several years I have listened to my stepfather complain about every piece of apple strudel he has eaten. I have given up on finding a bakery that will make it to his liking and therefore would appreciate it if you would provide a good apple strudel recipe that I could try. - Karri, Spokane.

Dear Karri: This strudel recipe uses commercial phyllo (filo) dough for convenience. You’ll find packages of phyllo in the freezer section of most supermarkets. Or, if you have the time and skill for traditional strudel pastry, I recommend the recipe provided in Rombauer and Becker’s “Joy of Cooking.”

Apple Strudel

Recipe adapted from “Best of International Cooking” (HPBooks).

Filling:

1/3 cup raisins

1 tablespoon rum or apple cider

4 medium cooking apples (2-1/4 pounds)

3 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup grated hazelnuts (filberts) or almonds

6 tablespoons dairy sour cream

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pastry:

1-pound package frozen phyllo (filo) dough

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup powdered sugar

To prepare filling, soak raisins in rum or cider 2 to 3 hours. Peel and finely slice apples. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Combine soaked raisins, sugar, nuts, sour cream and cinnamon. Add to apples, tossing carefully to distribute.

Meanwhile, thaw phyllo dough in its package.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a large baking sheet; set aside.

When working with a sheet of phyllo dough, keep other sheets covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Place one sheet of thawed phyllo dough on a damp towel. Brush with some of the melted butter. Place another sheet on top; again brush with butter. Top with a third sheet.

Beginning about 1 inch from the edges, spread 1/3 of the filling in a strip along one long edge of the dough. Using towel to help lift and roll, roll up phyllo dough and filling jelly-roll fashion. Pinch edges to seal. Place roll seam-side down on greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets and filling, making three rolls. Brush tops with butter.

Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown and apples are tender. Cool on a rack; serve cold. To serve, dust with powdered sugar; cut in slices.

Yield: 3 strudels.

Dear Laura: Please print a recipe for a hamburger and five-bean casserole. Many thanks. - Frances, Spokane.

Dear Frances: This bean bake serves well for potluck picnics or backyard barbecues. To save time and minimize kitchen heat, simmer it in a crock pot. It will be ready when you arrive home from work or recreation.

Five-Bean Bake

1 pound ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

2 (15-ounce cans) red kidney beans

28-ounce can pork and beans

15-ounce can EACH lima beans, garbanzo beans and green beans, drained

1/2 cup brown sugar or molasses

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup prepared mustard or 1 tablespoon dry mustard

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup ketchup or chili sauce

1 to 2 tablespoons vinegar

Brown ground beef and onion in large skillet; drain off any excess fat. Drain kidney beans, reserving liquid. Add kidney beans and remaining ingredients to beef mixture; mix well.

Pour into 10- by 14-inch baking dish. Add reserved liquid to moisten, if needed. Bake at 300 degrees for 2 to 3 hours or until brown. If necessary, add more reserved bean broth or water to keep moist.

Yield: About 12 servings.

Slow Cooker Variation: Place mixture in a slow cooker instead of the baking dish. Cook on low setting for 4 to 6 hours. No additional liquid should be needed.

Dear Laura: After your column of June 14, I was eager to try some saltrising bread, my husband’s favorite! I never got as far as how hot to set the oven because the bread never rose, a sad waste of 10 cups of flour. Is there something missing from this recipe? Is white cornmeal necessary? Please advise. - Jean, Bonners Ferry.

Dear Jean: Salt-rising bread relies on fermentation of a salt-tolerant bacterium in cornmeal or potato pulp. The cornmeal must be fresh, preferably freshly stone ground. All the recipes I’ve located call for white cornmeal. To promote fermentation, select a warm day or make sure the kitchen is adequately heated and the batter protected from drafts.

Rombauer and Becker’s “Joy of Cooking” includes the following potato-based salt-rising bread. About salt-rising bread, they write: “Under the best of circumstances, it may prove to be erratic. We have had success setting a covered heavy bowl in water heated by an electric frypan or on a heating tray.”

Potato Salt-Rising Bread

2-1/2 cups new, non-mealy potatoes (redskinned, for example)

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons white cornmeal

4 cups boiling water

1 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

5 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

5 to 6 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Pare potatoes and cut into thin slices. Sprinkle them with the 1 tablespoon salt, sugar and white cornmeal. Add the boiling water and stir until salt is dissolved. Cover with a cloth and let stand 15 hours in a very warm place (80 to 95 degrees).

Squeeze out the potatoes and discard them. Drain the liquid into a bowl, add the baking soda, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and the 5 cups flour; stir until well blended. Beat and beat and beat again.

Set the sponge in a warm place to rise until light. Bubbles should come to the surface and the sponge should increase its volume by about a third. This will take about 1-1/2 hours.

Scald the milk. When lukewarm, add the butter. Add the remaining flour and the warm milk-butter mixture to the potato sponge. Knead dough about 10 minutes before shaping into 3 loaves. Place in greased 5- by 9-inch loaf pans. Cover and let rise until light and not quite doubled in bulk. Bake at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for about 1 hour or until done.

Yield: 3 loaves.

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