Easy Apple Strudel

Apple Studel is a traditional Viennese pastry and is very popular throughout Europe. Traditionally made with a puff pastry, this version is a little on the lighter side, instead using filo pastry. 
You can stew your own fruit, however I find tinned apples to be just as effective and a lot easier. 
If you do stew your own fruit, be sure not to overcook them for this recipe. You want them to hold their shape and not become mush. 
Filo is very easy to prepare, and if using tinned fruit you just need to assemble and bake for 20 minutes before cutting into the crunchy crispy pastry shell. 

Ingredients (Serves 4 - 6): 

• 8 sheets of filo pastry 
• 50 grams butter, melted 
• 1 can of apple slices, drained (or 1 1/2 cups of stewed apple) 
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp icing sugar, to dust
• vanilla ice-cream, whipped cream, or thick yogurt to serve

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. 

Lay 1 sheet of pastry on a greased baking tray, brush lightly with butter. Repeat with three more sheets, and then dust the pastry with 1 tsp of cinnamon. Layer and butter the remaining four pastry sheets. 

Arrange the apple slices across the middle of the pastry, leaving a few centimetres at each end bare. Dust with another tsp of cinnamon. 

Fold the ends up of the pastry then fold the sides over. Cut diagonal gashes into the pastry to allow steam to escape, and to make for easier slicing when baked. 

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes till the pastry is golden. 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. 

Dust with icing sugar, slice, and serve with ice-cream, whipped cream or yogurt. 

Strudel with Maple Walnut Ice Cream

Lamb Filo Pie

Filo is a great way to get your pie fix, without the heaviness that pastry can sometimes have. You still get the crunchy flaky pastry and buttery flavour, but is less filling. I also like working with filo pastry, there's something quite therapeutic about brushing it with all that butter, don't be shy with the butter either, it does make for crispier more flavourful pastry. However in saying that, don't go overboard either, soggy is not appetising! I usually brush around the edges, then a couple of criss crosses through the middle. 

This pie is moroccan spiced and works beautifully with a feta, tomato and olive salad. 

Ingredients (serves 4-6): 

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 500 grams of lamb mince
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper 
• 1 eggplant, cut into 1 cm cubes
• 1 cup of pumpkin, cut into 1 cm cubes
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 300 grams filo pastry sheets
• 60 grams butter, melted
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds 

Method: 

In a frypan, heat oil, and on a medium heat, saute lamb, with cumin and fennel seeds till browned, about 5 minutes. 

Add the onion, garlic, oregano, allspice, cinnamon, cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes till onions soften. 

Add the cubes of eggplant, pumpkin and tomato. Cook, stirring occasionally for 10 - 15 minutes till vegetables are softened. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. 

Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius and grease a 30 cm ovenproof frypan or round baking dish. 

Melt the butter. Lay one sheet of filo on a clean bench and brush it with melted butter, top with another sheet of pastry. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the lamb mixture along the long edge of the pastry and then roll up like a sausage roll. Place this on the outside edge of the baking dish. 

Repeat with remaining pastry and filling, working from the outside, spiralling them in towards the centre. 

Once completed, sprinkle with sesame seeds and place the dish in a hot oven for 25 minutes till the pastry is crispy and golden. 

Slice wedges of the pie and serve with a feta, tomato and olive salad.