SPINACH STRUDEL
12 Best Foods Cookbook by Dana Jacobi
Test-kitchen staffs taste a lot of dishes, and this was one of the favorites at Rodale. Its combination of spinach, lemon zest, and walnuts drew raves. I find whole wheat phyllo dough much easier to handle than the usual kind. I like one made by The Phyllo Factory, which is sold in natural food markets. It stays crisper around fillings and also tastes the same as other phyllo.
Makes 6 servings
• 1 bunch spinach, or 1 (10-ounce) bag, stemmed and rinsed
• 1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
• 1/3 cup dried currants
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 4 sheets whole wheat phyllo
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil, coat it lightly with oil or cooking spray, and set it aside.
2. Saute the spinach in a skillet until tender but not soft, 4 minutes. Transfer it to a colander and cool under cold running water. Squeeze out most of the moisture (there will be 1 1/2 cups cooked) spinach. Finely chop, then fluff the spinach. In a mixing bowl, combine the spinach, apple, currants, nuts, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the zest. Set the filling aside.
3. Lay out 1 sheet of the phyllo with the long side facing you and brush lightly with butter. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Top with another sheet, brush lightly with butter, and sprinkle with another teaspoon of sugar. Repeat, ending with the fourth sheet brushed lightly with butter. Arrange the filling 2" above the bottom of the dough in a long log, leaving 1" at either end. Fold the bottom edge up to cover the filling. Fold in the sides and roll up. Press the seam with your fingers to seal it. Transfer to the baking sheet, seam side down. Brush with the remaining butter.
4. Bake 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool it on the baking sheet. Use a serrated knife to cut the strudel, serving it at room temperature.
Per serving 222 calories, 1) g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 4 g protein, 30 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber
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