It’s apples, cinnamon, sugar, and butter.  What’s not to like?

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour, plus more for dusting
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup water

APPLE FILLING

1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons  dark rum
2 pounds firm apples (about 5 to 6)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the raisins by mixing them with the rum and placing them in the microwave for about 20 seconds.  Let them soak while you make the dough.

Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add the oil and water and mix with a spoon or your index finger until a rough dough forms. Turn it out onto a very lightly floured counter and knead for 10 minutes. The dough should be soft and silky to the tough. Form it into a ball, place it on the counter and upend the mixing bowl over it. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the apples: Peel, halve, core and slice thin in one direction, then halve the slices crosswise, creating thin rectangles of apples. Place them in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon. Add the raisins and any rum left in the bowl.

Heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line 1 large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Melt the 5 tablespoons butter in a small dish.

Roll out your dough: Cover your work surface with a cleaning linen towel or sheet that’s at least 24-by-32 inches. The long side should be horizontal. Sprinkle the cloth lightly with flour. Place the dough in the middle, sprinkle it very lightly with flour and roll in both directions until it’s about 10-by-13 inches, or about as far as the rolling pin can take it. Make sure the dough hasn’t stuck to the cloth; reflour if it has. Now the stretching begins! Ball your hands to loose fists, put them under the rolled-out dough and gently start stretching the dough using the back of your hands. Alternate with pulling the dough gently with your fingers to continue stretching it, stretching the edges thin too. This is all much easier than it sounds, but be patient. If holes form, pinch the dough back together. Continue stretching until the dough is about 16-by-24 inches.

Assemble strudel: Brush evenly with about half the melted butter. On the right side of the rectangle, a few inches from the end. Scoop the apples with a slotted spoon, leaving any accumulated juices in the bowl, and pile them in a line. Gently pull the top and bottom edges of the dough over the apple mixture. Pull the right edge of the dough up and over the filling as far as it will go without tearing. Working carefully, use the towel to roll up the strudel all the way. Place the parchment paper from your baking sheet at the edge of the roll and roll the strudel onto it. Use the parchment like a sling to gently place the strudel on the baking sheet.

Brush the strudel generously all over with some of the remaining butter. Bake for 15 minutes, then brush again and return to the oven in a rotated position. Repeat this once, baking a total of 45 minutes. (Half-size strudels seem to bake 5 or so minutes faster.) The finished strudel should be crisp to the touch and a deep golden brown.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before serving. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and slice into pieces to serve.

I worked with this recipe.