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 Fillings for Strudel Dough

Notes:   The dough is almost as important as the filling.  Most modern recipes call for phyllo dough, but, after thawing, handling, buttering, and tasting phyllo, this cook believes the homemade dough is no more labor-intensive and much tastier.    An old Gourmet Magazine used curried chicken and wild rice, scallops and saffron, salmon and spinach, goat cheese and bacon, and cranberry, apricot, and pecan, as fillings.  Try  a search on epicurious.com to see if they are online.   See also Samosas for comparisons and ideas.  

1.  Cabbage Filling

Note: Use with Dipping Sauces or Sesame Yogurt

6 cps finely shredded cabbage
1/2 cp minced onions
1/3 cp butter or chicken fat (schmaltz)
1 1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 t sugar

1. Cook cabbage and onions in butter or fat over low heat 25 minutes, mixing occasionally.
2. Stir in salt, pepper and sugar.
3. Cool.  Roll up in strudel dough.
        The Art of Jewish Cooking, Jennie Grossinger, 1958

2. Chopped Liver

1 1/2 lb calf's liver
1 cp onions, diced
1/2 cp chicken fat (schmaltz), or butter
1 1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper

1. Cube liver and cook with onions in fat til liver loses its redness.
2. Chop liver, including fat in pan.
3. Add salt and pepper, spread on dough and roll up.
                 The Art of Jewish Cooking, Jennie Grossinger, 1958

3.  Onion and Leek

2 1/2 T died currants or raisins
2 T dry Marsala

oil or melted butter
1 T vegetable oil
2 cps (about 2) thinly sliced onions
2 cps (about 2) thinly sliced leeks, white and pale green parts only
1 T golden brown sugar
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 t dried summer savory, crumbled
1 T grated lemon peel
1/8 t salt
pepper

3   T bread crumbs

1. Soak currants in Marsala in small bowl at least 2 hours or overnight
2. Melt 1 T butter with 1 T oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add onions and leeks and saute till just tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in brown sugar, lemon juice, savory and currant mixture.
5. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook till onions are very tender, stirring occasionally,
about 10 minutes.
6. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon peel, salt and pepper.
7. Cool completely. (Filling can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room
temperature before continuing.)
8. Spread bread crumbs over dough and roll.
             Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine, 1990

4.  Cheese Filling

Note:  Adapted from two sources, both similar except for the cheeses.  Pot cheese is similar to cottage cheese but firmer.

2         eggs
1/2      cp sugar
1/2     lb pot cheese and 1/2 pound cream cheese, or 1 lb cottage cheese, drained
1        t vanilla extract
3       T bread crumbs

  1. Beat eggs and sugar till thick.
  2. Add cheese and vanilla and beat till smooth.
  3. Sprinkle bread crumbs over half the oiled strudel dough and spread cheese mixture over it.
  4. Roll up

5.  Bubi's Apple Filling

Note:  These ingredients were used in my grandmother's apple strudel and were resurrected from memory. The measurements are adapted from other recipes. 

1           cp fine bread crumbs
1           cp finely chopped nuts

4           cps sour cooking apples, thinly sliced
2            T grated lemon rind
2            T lemon juice
1/2         cp seedless raisins

1/2         cp sugar mixed with 1/2  t cinnamon

  1. Sprinkle bread crumbs over half the oiled stretched dough. 
  2. Sprinkle the nuts over it and spread evenly with the hand.
  3. Combine apples, lemon rind and juice, and raisins in a bowl and toss with a fork.
  4. Spread over the nuts and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon mixture.  Proceed as above.
  5.