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1
To make the dough: Place the flour, egg, soft butter and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer.
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2
Mixing with the dough hook on low speed, add enough of the cold water to make a soft dough.
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3
Knead the dough in the electric mixer at medium speed until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
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4
Form the dough into a ball and coat it with oil.
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5
Cover and let rest at room temperature for about 1 hour.
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6
For the filling: To make the coarse bread crumbs, toast slices of white bread in the oven until crisp, about 10 minutes.
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7
Break into pieces and place in a food processor.
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8
Pulse the processor until the bread resembles large bread crumbs.
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9
In a saute pan, over medium heat, saute the bread crumbs in 1/4 cup of the melted butter until they are golden brown.
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10
Reserve the sauteed bread crumbs and the remaining melted butter separately.
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11
Combine the sliced apples, granulated sugar, raisins, nuts, ground cinnamon and about half of the bread crumbs.
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12
Cut the firm butter into chunks and gently toss together with the apple mixture.
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13
To Assemble: Cover a work surface approximately 4 feet by 4 feet with a clean piece of cloth.
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14
The cloth is used to facilitate stretching and rolling the dough.
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15
Make sure that the cloth is securely fastened to the table.
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16
Dust the cloth lightly with the flour.
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Place the rested dough in the center of the cloth.
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18
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a large, thin rectangle.
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19
When the dough is as thin as it will go with the rolling pin, it is time to begin stretching and pulling the dough.
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20
To stretch and pull the dough, place your hands under the dough, and, using your thumbs and the back of your hand, gently begin pulling and stretching the dough.
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21
Pull and stretch the dough until it is a rectangle approximately 3 1/2 feet by 2 1/2 feet.
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22
Be very careful when you are pulling and stretching not to tear the dough.
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23
After it is pulled to the proper size, let the dough relax on the table for a few minutes.
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24
There will be a thick edge around the edges, trim this away.
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25
You also want to trim off any parts of the dough that hang over the edges of the table.
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26
Place the apple filling next to the long edge of the dough closest to you.
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27
Form the filling into a thick log.
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28
Brush some of the reserved melted butter generously over the remainder of the dough.
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29
Sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs over the dough.
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30
Using the cloth to help lift the dough, roll the strudel as you would a jelly roll, starting from the filling side.
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31
Place the strudel, seam side down, in a horseshoe shape on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
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32
Brush the strudel with the last of the melted butter.
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33
Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for about 35 minutes, Remove the pan from the oven and cool.
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34
Slice the the strudel into individual servings and serve either warm or at room temperature.
