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Savory Cabbage Strudel

  • 30m Prep Time
  • 1h 0mCook Time
  • 1h Ready In

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  • Cuisine : Central European
  • Course : Side Dish

10 to 12 servings We like savory strudels just as much as their sweet counterparts. If you make the strudel dough, you will end up with one large, horseshoe-shaped strudel. If you use phyllo dough, this recipe makes 2 smaller, rectangular strudels.

Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • 1
    • 1 stick (4 oz or 115g) unsalted butter
    • 1 ½ cups (200g) bread flour
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 large egg
    • ⅓ cup (80g) room-temperature water
    • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
    • 8 cups chopped, peeled tart apples, such as Gravenstein, Braeburn, or Granny Smith (about 6 large apples)
    • ¾ cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
    • 1 cup (200g) sugar
    • ½ cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
    • ⅓ cup dried currants
    • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • Powdered sugar
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Melt and set aside in a small bowl: 1 stick (4 oz or 115g) unsalted butter
    2. Sift together into a large bowl: 1 ½ cups (200g) bread flour; ½ teaspoon salt
    3. Whisk together in a separate small bowl with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter: 1 large egg; ⅓ cup (80g) room-temperature water; 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
    4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the egg mixture into the well. Working from the inside of the well, mix the wet ingredients quickly into the dry ingredients with your fingers or a fork. When all the liquid is incorporated, knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface until it is silky, pliable, and no longer sticky, about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and brush with some of the melted butter. Let rest in a covered bowl in a warm place for at least 30 and for up to 60 minutes.
    5. Have ready: 8 cups chopped, peeled tart apples, such as Gravenstein, Braeburn, or Granny Smith (about 6 large apples)
    6. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    7. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until browned, 10 to 15 minutes: ¾ cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
    8. Transfer half of the bread crumbs to a medium bowl. Add to the bowl and stir together: 1 cup (200g) sugar; ½ cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped; ⅓ cup dried currants; 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    9. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Brush a baking sheet with some of the melted butter.
    10. Roll the dough as thin as possible, then transfer it to the cloth-covered table: Lightly flour the surface only as necessary as you roll the dough; try rolling it without flour. The dough will be soft and responsive to the touch. Remove any rings or bracelets and drape the edges of the dough over the backs of your hands (palms facing down and fingers halfway clenched). Stretch the dough gently at the table, pulling it away from the center and moving your hands apart at the same time. Stretch one section of the dough at a time, and work slowly around the table. Take your time; patience will reward you with a thinner dough. Try not to tear the dough or make holes in it. Stretch the dough into a square 30 to 35 inches on each side, letting it drape over the edges of the table if it is bigger. Anchor each corner of the dough with a small plate if the square stretches back a bit while you work on the other edges. Trim the thicker edges of dough with scissors and use the trimmings to patch any holes. Let the dough dry for 10 minutes so that it will not stick to itself during rolling.
    11. Brush the entire surface of the dough lightly with some of the melted butter. Leaving a 3-inch border of dough along one edge, sprinkle the remaining toasted bread crumbs in a strip next to the border, covering one-third of the dough. Mix the apples with the sugar mixture. Again leaving the 3-inch border of dough along the edge, spread the apple filling over the crumbs. Fold the 3-inch border over the filling. Pick up one end of the cloth underneath the strudel with both hands, one on either side, and let the strudel roll slowly over onto itself, brushing the dough that was on the underside (and thus unbuttered) with melted butter as you roll. Continue to lift the cloth underneath the strudel and let the strudel roll onto itself to the end. Place the rolled strudel on the prepared baking sheet, curving it into a horseshoe shape.
    12. Brush the strudel with two-thirds of the remaining melted butter. Bake for 20 minutes. Brush with the remaining butter and rotate the baking sheet front to back for even browning. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes more. Slide onto a rack and let cool.
    13. Dust the strudel with: Powdered sugar
    14. Slice on the diagonal with a serrated knife. Serve with: Whipped Cream
  • 1 package store-bought phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 pounds green cabbage, cored and shredded
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  • ⅓ cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ½ sticks (6 oz) unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup dry bread crumbs (divided if using phyllo)
  • 1 ½ cups sour cream (divided if using phyllo)

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 1 The dough for Apple Strudel
  • 1 package store-bought phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 pounds green cabbage, cored and shredded
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  • ⅓ cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ½ sticks (6 oz) unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup dry bread crumbs (divided if using phyllo)
  • 1 ½ cups sour cream (divided if using phyllo)

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Prepare: The dough for Apple Strudel

  2. Step 2.

    Alternatively, you may use: 1 package store-bought phyllo dough, thawed if frozen

  3. Step 3.

    To prepare the filling, melt in a Dutch oven or large pot: 4 tablespoons butter

  4. Step 4.

    Add little by little: 4 pounds green cabbage, cored and shredded; 1 ¼ teaspoons salt

  5. Step 5.

    Cook each addition of cabbage until slightly softened before adding the next. If necessary, add a few tablespoons of water to the pot and cover to help speed the process. Once all the cabbage is added and wilted, add: ⅓ cup dry white wine

  6. Step 6.

    Cover and cook the cabbage until very tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in: 1 tablespoon poppy seeds; 1 teaspoon caraway seeds; ½ teaspoon black pepper

  7. Step 7.

    Taste for seasoning. Pour the cabbage into a colander and allow it to drain and cool completely. Press the cabbage to extract as much moisture as possible.

  8. Step 8.

    Preheat the oven to 400°F.

  9. Step 9.

    Melt in a small saucepan: 1 ½ sticks (6 oz) unsalted butter

  10. Step 10.

    If using strudel dough, stretch it out as directed. If using phyllo dough, lay sheets out on a cloth-covered work surface, allowing the sheets to overlap by 2 inches, to make two roughly 16 × 35-inch rectangles. Lightly brush the phyllo sheets with butter, then add another layer of phyllo to each rectangle. Brush with butter and repeat two more times. There should be 4 layers of phyllo in each rectangle. Brush the top layer of phyllo with butter.

  11. Step 11.

    Leaving a 3-inch border along one long edge of the strudel dough or each phyllo rectangle, sprinkle in a strip next to the border, covering one-third of the dough: ¾ cup dry bread crumbs (divided if using phyllo)

  12. Step 12.

    Spread over the bread crumbs: 1 ½ cups sour cream (divided if using phyllo)

  13. Step 13.

    Spread the cooled cabbage filling over the sour cream. Fold the 3-inch border over the filling. If using strudel dough, pick up the edge of the cloth underneath the strudel and use it to help the strudel roll slowly over onto itself, brushing the dough with melted butter as you roll. Continue rolling the dough and brushing it with butter until it is completely rolled up. Place the strudel on a baking sheet, curving it into a horseshoe shape and brush it with butter. If using phyllo, simply roll up the dough with your hands, brushing it with butter as you roll. Place the two rolls side by side on the baking sheet.

  14. Step 14.

    Bake for 20 minutes. Brush again with butter and return to the oven until deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes more. Serve immediately, sliced with a serrated knife.

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