Fig and Walnut Strudel

[Kitchen Witch]

Fig and Walnut Strudel - this is sooooooo good!

1 cup shelled walnuts
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup orange flower honey
1 basket fresh figs, (about 8 ounces)
2 cups glazed walnuts
1 cup plain dry bread crumbs
10 sheets filo dough, thawed
sugar for dusting
sweetened whipped cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350. Spread nuts on a baking sheet or in a shallow pan. Bake, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned and fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly, then chop coarsely.

In a medium bowl combine 1/4 cup of the melted butter with the honey. Cut tips off the figs and then cut into quarters. Toss figs and walnuts in the butter and honey mixture and set aside.

Set aside one cup glazed walnuts. Coarsely chop the remaining cup glazed walnuts.

In another medium bowl combine the breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup of the melted butter and set aside.

On a flat surface lined with a sheet of parchment paper, lay one sheet of filo dough. Brush with melted butter and lay a second sheet on top. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped glazed walnuts. To prevent drying cover remaining filo with plastic wrap and top with a damp towel. Repeat this process layering two sheets filo and sprinkling with glazed walnuts until all the dough is used.

Spread the buttered breadcrumbs in a two-inch strip along the wide edge of the filo dough. Pile the fig and walnut mixture on top and then roll up the dough, tucking in the ends, into a long log or sausage shape, (use the parchment paper to help roll).

Preheat oven to 400 . Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer strudel to the cookie sheet, making sure the breadcrumb filling is on the bottom. Brush with remaining melted butter and sprinkle the top with sugar. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then cut on an angle into 8 pieces. Serve with sweetened whipped cream and the extra glazed walnuts.




Serves 8




Variation: If fresh figs arent available you can substitute 4 ounces dried Calimyrna figs, cut into 1/4 inch pieces and two large granny smith apple (about 12 ounces), peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.