By Pastry Chef Ehud Ezra, Basil Restaurant.

The New Year can be a very busy time of year, with a lot of cooking. This recipe doesn’t take long and doesn’t require a mixer! The outcome is a modern take on traditional strudel. The strudel will amaze your guests with its rustic look and delicious flavor.

Serves 10-12

Ingredients:
8-9 (5 ¼ lbs.) medium apples; a mix of gala, granny smith, and crispy pink; or any mix you can find
1 ½ cups frozen cranberries
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup corn starch
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon ginger
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
½ stick of margarine
20 sheets of phyllo dough, 2 sheets for each serving. (Standard Phyllo dough sheets comes in about 24 sheets.)

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees.

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Peel and core apples, dice them into approximately ½” cubes. Mix cranberries and lemon juice with apples. Mix dry ingredients with apple mixture. Put this final mixture in a strainer to strain the juice out.

Melt the margarine in the microwave. Gently open and separate phyllo dough sheets, they can tear easily. Take 2 phyllo sheets out of the box and keep them one on top of the other. Place them on your counter or other large surface. Brush the sheet with margarine, don’t go to the edges, and use a thin layer of margarine or the dough will tear. Place 4 tablespoons of apple mixture in the center of the dough. Imagine the dough is in thirds and the mixture is in the center. Fold one side of the dough over the center, then fold the other side over the center. Brush edges of folds with margarine. Next flip the dough over to the other side, and then fold over one side over the center, and the other side over the center. When you are done you have a square package. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the top of the phyllo square. Bake at 350 degrees until it is crispy and golden, about 35-40 minutes.( Varies with every oven.)

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serves well with vanilla ice cream and whip cream.

Note: You can freeze this and bake later. If you want to make it crispy again after refrigerating, put it back in oven.