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1
Bring cherries (with any juices), 3/4 cup sugar, and cornstarch to a boil in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally, then simmer 2 minutes.
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2
Transfer filling to a bowl and cool completely.
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3
While cherry filling cools, arrange 3 phyllo sheets in 1 layer on a work surface and let dry 15 minutes.
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4
Keeping 12 remaining sheets stacked, halve crosswise, then stack halves.
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5
Cover stack with a piece of plastic wrap and a dampened kitchen towel.
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6
Finely crumble 3 dried phyllo sheets into a bowl.
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7
Preheat oven to 400F.
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8
Arrange 1 piece of phyllo on work surface with a short side nearest you (keep remaining sheets covered) and brush with some butter.
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9
Top with 3 more phyllo pieces, brushing each with butter.
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10
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons crumbled phyllo over lower third of buttered phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border along bottom and sides, then top with a rounded 1/3 cup filling.
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11
Fold bottom edge of phyllo up over filling and fold in sides to enclose filling completely, then roll up phyllo to form a strudel, about 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches.
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12
Transfer, seam side down, to a buttered baking sheet.
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13
Brush top with some butter, then sprinkle lightly with 1/4 teaspoon sugar.
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14
Cut 2 (1-inch) vents diagonally across top of strudel, about 1 1/2 inches apart, with a paring knife.
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15
Make 5 more strudels in same manner.
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16
Bake strudels in middle of oven until golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.
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17
Transfer to a rack and cool 30 minutes.
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18
We used IFQ (Individually Quick Frozen) cherries from Friske Orchards (231-599-2604), in Charlevoix, Michigan.
