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Strucia di Mele Trentina — Apple Strudel of Trentino

Step 1 of 7 ·
Serves 4
· About 1 hour 30 minutes (including 30 minutes resting) total

Ingredients

· · ·

Method

  1. 1
    Combine the 00 flour, egg, warm water, olive oil, and salt in a bowl and bring together into a rough mass, then turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead steadily for 10 minutes — the extended kneading develops a strong, elastic web throughout the dough so it will later stretch to near-translucency without tearing. The dough is ready when it is silky, smooth, and springs back slowly when pressed with a finger. Shape into a ball, cover with an inverted bowl, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes so the dough relaxes fully and will yield to stretching without snapping back.
  2. 2
    Toast the breadcrumbs in a small knob of the measured butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, until they are an even pale gold and smell of toasted grain — the fat-coated crumbs will act as a barrier between the wet apple filling and the pastry beneath, keeping the base crisp rather than sodden. Remove from the heat immediately. Soak the raisins in enough Trentino grappa to cover and leave until they are plump, then toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until lightly coloured, and set all filling components aside.
  3. 3
    Spread a large, clean kitchen cloth on a table and flour it generously, then lay the rested dough in the centre and begin stretching it with the backs of lightly floured hands, working from the centre outward in slow, even passes — pulling from the inside rather than pushing from the outside gives you control over thickness and prevents ragged edges. Rotate around the dough, stretching a little at a time, until the sheet is nearly translucent and large enough to roll a log with a clear border on all sides. This is where the dish lives or dies: a single aggressive pull in one spot tears the dough and cannot be repaired; patience and even pressure over the whole sheet are the only method.
  4. 4
    Brush the entire stretched surface with the remaining melted butter so the pastry layers will separate and crisp during baking rather than fusing into a solid mass. Scatter the buttered breadcrumbs evenly across the sheet — they must cover the surface without gaps, as every uncovered section risks a soggy base. Arrange the apple slices in an even layer along one long edge, leaving a 4 cm border at each short end, then drain the raisins and scatter them over the apples, add the toasted pine nuts, and dust evenly with the cinnamon.
  5. 5
    Fold the short borders inward over the filling so the ends are sealed and no fruit escapes during rolling. Using the cloth to guide, lift and roll the strudel away from you into a firm, even log — the cloth does the rolling so the fragile pastry is never handled directly, and the hands only guide tension. Set the roll seam-side down on a buttered baking tray; the roll should be compact and uniform, with no visible air pockets, so the pastry bakes against the filling rather than ballooning away from it.
  6. 6
    Brush the surface generously with beaten egg wash, ensuring the score lines are coated so they will set to a deep, lacquered gold and signal clearly when the pastry is fully baked. Bake at 190 °C (conventional) for 35–40 minutes. The strudel is done when the crust is deep golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the base, and the pastry at the score lines is visibly crisp and crackling.
  7. 7
    Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes before dusting with icing sugar. Serve warm, with whipped cream alongside.
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HACCP Brief — Codex Alimentarius CXC 1-1969 Strucia di Mele Trentina — Apple Strudel of Trentino
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