Apple Strudel

This recipe was originally given by Mrs Buckwell to all her students in Zimbabwe. She was a remarkable lady. I first met her when I was making commercials with a film company - she was demonstrating recipes for Gloria Flour. It was amaizing - we never had to do a reshoot of any of her work - she never fluffed a line or made a wrong move. When a young lady left school in what was then Salisbury, there were two things she had to do - take a Mrs Buckwell Course and work as a waitress at the bamboo Inn. Sadly both these institutions are now gone. I have adapted the recipe for Zimbabwe conditions and suggested alternative ingredients (Mrs Buckwell would not have approved!!!) Serving Size: 12 Preparation Time: 1:00 **** Pastry **** 1 Pound Flour 1 Large Egg Yolk (I often use the whole egg rather than waste the egg white) 1 Tablespoon Oil 1 Pinch Salt Lukewarm Water 1 Pound Melted Butter 10 Large Apples, Peeled -- and sliced (Tinned apples also work very well - two small tins are needed for this amount of dough) 1 Cup Sultanas (Mixed fruit can be used although not traditional) Cinnamon 1 Cup Caster Sugar (Bron can be used if caster or granulated sugar is not available) 2 Cups Bread Crumbs -- fried in butter (or margarine - if you must!) Use enough water to make pliable dough with the flour, egg yolk, oil and salt. Spread an old sheet on your kitchen table and dust with flour. Knead for 20 to 25 minutes being very rough with the dough dropping it from a height onto the table and throwing around. Cover and let rest ten minutes. Place the dough on the well floured tablecloth or sheet and roll into an oblong. Pull and stretch with hands until very thin - almost transparent. I also use a rolling pin as this helps to make the dough thin and even. Sprinkle with melted butter using enough to barely cover the dough. Cover with apples and sprinkle with more butter, sultanas, cinnamon, caster sugar and white bread crumbs. Cut the thick edges off the dough - flap over the short sides and sprinkle these with more butter. Hold cloth and roll up loosely long ways until the join is underneath. Bend into a horseshoe shape and put into a pan of melted butter - spoon butter over the roll so it is well covered and sprinkle with caster sugar trying not to get any onto the baking pan. Bake slowly at 375 degrees until golden and hollow sounding to touch. About 1 hour. Dust with icing sugar when cold. I have made this with other fruit such as pears and even apples and berries - Mrs B is probably turning in her grave! You can make one large strudel or two smaller ones from this amount of dough.