Easy Apple Strudel / Jednoduchy Jablkovy zavin (Strudl)

Even though Apple strudel is now mostly a Czech/German/Hungarian delicatessen, its origins go back to an ancient Greece where the thin layered dough was perfected into Baklava (http://www.kitchenproject.com/history/AppleStrudel.htm).
This is a great recipe because it is EASY and FAST. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

1. 1 portion of “flaky dough” (Listkove testo) or you can buy a package of 2 puff pastry sheets (Pepperidge Farms brand)
   • 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
   • 1/2 cup of water
   • 2 1/5 sticks of unsalted butter (= 250g)
   • speck of salt
2. some flour to roll out the pastry
3. 3 -4 tbs. of bread crumbs (or oatmeal flakes)
   
4. 3 tbs. of sugar
5. 1 tsp. of cinnamon
6. 6 – 8 sliced apples
7. 1 beaten egg (to spread onto the strudel)
8. powdered sugar

Method:

• To prepare the pastry:
  • In a large bowl combine flour, melted butter, water and salt. Work it into a dough.
  • Wrap the dough into a plastic foil and let it rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes
• Pre-heat the oven for 350 degrees F
• Divide dough into two parts
• Roll each part into a 3mm-thick cake (shoot for more of a rectangular shape)
  • roll the dough on a floured kitchen towel so that it is easier for you to transfer the rolls onto the baking sheet
• Sprinkle each cake with some bread crumbs, cut up apples, cinnamon and sugar
• Roll in the sides of the rectangle
• Press the ends of the roll so that the apple juice does not run out
• Place the two strudel rolls onto a dry baking sheet
• Spread the beaten egg on the top of the rolls (not on the sides!); use a brush
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes
• Cut up the two strudel rolls into pieces immediately after taken out of the oven to let the steam out
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar

PS: you can also add some raisins and/or walnuts as a part of a strudel filling