Apple Walnut Strudel

Apple walnut strudel made the lean way: phyllo brushed with margarine instead of the laminated dough strudel traditionally calls for. The result is a crackly, papery shell that shatters at the first bite and gives way to chopped apples and toasted walnuts inside.

The damp cloth and bread crumb layer under the phyllo are doing real work. The cloth keeps the bottom sheet from sliding, and a light scatter of crumbs absorbs juice from the apples so the bottom of the strudel does not turn soggy. Skip this and you get a gummy underside.

Lemon juice in the filling does double duty. It keeps the chopped apples from oxidizing during the assembly, and the acidity brightens the otherwise mild apple-and-nut filling. Scoring the top into ten pieces before baking keeps cracks predictable, so each portion breaks cleanly along the lines.

Pro Tips

• Keep unused phyllo covered with a slightly damp tea towel while you work. A few minutes uncovered and the sheets dry out and crack.
• Brush the margarine in light strokes; saturating the phyllo makes it greasy rather than crisp. A light film between every two layers is the ratio.
• Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for 4 minutes before chopping. Raw walnuts taste flat in baked goods.
• Score, do not cut all the way through, before baking. Cuts let steam escape too aggressively and the apples release water onto the pan.

Variations

• Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon to the filling for a sweeter, more traditional Austrian profile.
• Swap walnuts for pecans or sliced almonds; both toast nicely and pair with apples.
• Brush the finished strudel with melted butter and dust with powdered sugar after cooling for a bakery-style finish.