The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened my creative side. Last Saturday I made phyllo pastry from scratch. I took two sheets and turned them into a mini strudel for two. Here's what I did:
Apple Walnut Filling
1 apple, I used gala cored, small dice
1 tablespoon walnuts, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons organic cane sugar, any white sugar will do
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon organic corn starch
1 teaspoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar plus one teaspoon cinnamon for sprinkling
Mix the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For Phyllo Strudel
1 teaspoon avocado oil or any other flavourless oil
1 teaspoon melted butter
Two sheets phyllo pastry, homemade or commercial frozen variety (thawed)
Mix the avocado oil and butter in a small bowl, save some for the top of the strudel.
Dot one phyllo sheet with the butter mixture and place the second on top.
Starting about 2 inches from the short end of the pastry, pile the apple walnut filling in the middle bottom of the rectangle, leaving about two inches of pastry at each edge.
Fold the bottom and then the sides of the pastry up over the filling.
Roll the pastry from the bottom to the top end. Leaving the seam on the bottom of the roll.
Take a sharp knife and make a slat on the top of the strudel about every 2 inches. This is to help cut the flakey pastry once baked.
Brush with the butter mixture and sprinkle with more sugar with cinnamon.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and juices are flowing out of the slats.
Cut into slices or into two pieces to share or save for another time. Serve with your favourite ice cream.