INGREDIENTS:

For the filling:
750g eating apples, peeled, cored and diced small
finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
90g caster sugar
1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon
40g raisins

For the pastry:
6 sheets filo pastry, each about 47.5 x 30cm
50g butter, melted and cooled until tepid
2 tbsp dry breadcrumbs or semolina
icing sugar

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Mix all the filling ingredients together.
2. To prevent the filo pastry drying out, lay it in a heap, cover with a sheet of greaseproof paper and cover that with a tea towel wrung out in cold water.

3. Lay a large (dry) sheet of greaseproof paper on the work surface. Take 1 sheet of filo pastry and lay it out flat in front of you on the greaseproof paper. Brush with melted butter. Take the next sheet, lay it out flat, overlapping the first along the long edge by about 7.5cm. Brush with butter.

4. The third sheet is laid exactly over the first, then brushed with butter, the fourth is placed over the second, then brushed with butter, and so on until all the pastry is used up.

5. Sprinkle the dry breadcrumbs or semolina over the top two-thirds of the filo pastry, leaving a 4cm border. Dollop the apple mixture over the semolina and smooth down lightly.

6. Flip the 4cm of bare edge over the filling. Now, starting at the top, roll up the pastry round the apple filling, using the greaseproof paper to help you.

7. Carefully lift on to a greased baking tray and curve around into a horseshoe shape. Brush the top with any remaining butter.

8. Bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp. Poke a skewer into the centre of the strudel to see if the apple is tender. Loosen the strudel with a knife, then slide carefully on to a serving dish, dusting with icing sugar.