Cherry Almond Strudel

A really wonderful dessert with great flavour.  Really not that hard to make (but don't tell anyone that)!

From Food and Drink 2003

FILLING
1 1/4 lb (;625g) sour cherries, pitted
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 tsp cinnamon

PASTRY
8 sheets phyllo dough
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup ground almonds

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. In a bowl, combine cherries, almonds, sugar, bread crumbs and cinnamon.  Reserve.
3. Lay phyllo dough on counter and cover with a tea towel.  Remove first sheet, brush with butter.  Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup ground almonds and sprinkle about 1 tbsp over butter.  Top with a second sheet, butter and sprinkle with sugar almond mixture.  Repeat with remaining sheets.  Place cherry mixture about 2 inches from the long edge and 1 inch from the short edge.  Fold in short sides and roll phyllo into a strudel shape.  Brush with butter and cut 3 slits on top.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until top is browned and cherry mixture is cooked.

Serves 6 to 8 

Mushroom Leek Strudel

This is an elegant dish!

6 cups sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 medium leeks (1 bunch) white and light green parts
1 cup light cream (or milk)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup fine breadcrumbs
14 sheets phyllo pastry

• Melt the 1/3 cup butter in a large heavy bottomed saucepan or large frying pan.  Add the mushrooms, lemon juice and garlic and saute briskly, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes, continuing to stir constantly.  Slice the leeks, thinly add to the saucepan and cook another 3 minutes.  Keep up the stirring or the mixture will scorch.
• Lower the heat, pour in the cream, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper and cook until the filling thickens evenly, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove from the heat and cool.
• Butter a pan the same size as a sheet of phyllo pastry.  Place one sheet of phyllo in the pan, brush with butter and sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs.  Repeat with 6 more layers, buttering and sprinkling each with breadcrumbs.  Spread the filling evenly over the pastry.  Cover with 7 more sheets of phyllo, buttering each sheet and sprinkling all the sheets but the last with crumbs.
• Bake at 375 F for 40 to 50 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp and the filling bubbling.  Let stand a few minutes to firm, then cut into squares using a serrated knife.
• Makes 8 main course servings, about 12 hors d'ouevre sized squares.