Cranberry & apple strudel

Method

1 Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl, make a well in the centre and pour in the oil, vinegar and water. Mix to make a soft dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill it for at least an hour.

2 In the meantime, prepare the filling. Melt the unsalted butter in a frying pan, add the breadcrumbs and fry them, stirring continuously, until they are golden brown. Set the fried crumbs aside to cool. Peel and core the apples and slice them very thinly into a bowl. Add the calvados or brandy and mix well.

3 Now it is time to turn the ball of dough into a single, tissue-fine sheet of pastry. Lay a clean and smooth cloth (say a large tea towel at least 50cm x 70cm) on the table and sprinkle it lightly with flour. Place the ball of dough in the centre and roll it out as thinly as you can. Then slide your hands under the dough and very gently stretch the pastry until it is paper thin and covers the whole cloth. Try not to tear the dough. Use scissors to trim and neaten the edges.

4 Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan oven) gas mark 7, and grease a large, heavy baking sheet.

5 Brush the dough with half the melted butter and sprinkle it with the fried breadcrumbs, leaving a clear 5cm border of pastry all round. Mix together the cranberries, sugar, cinnamon and ground almonds and scatter them over the breadcrumbs, followed by the apple slices arranged in an even layer. If you position the apple slices with the points of the crescents towards you, there will be less chance of them piercing the dough.

6 Turn in the two sides of the dough and the long edge nearest you, then moisten the turned edges with water. Using the cloth to lift the edge of the strudel, roll it up, not too tightly. Lift the filled strudel carefully on to the baking sheet and shape it into a ring. Brush the strudel with the remaining melted butter and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 190°C (170°C fan oven) gas mark 5 and bake it for a further 25 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm or cold.

Recipe by Shona Crawford Poole