Potato Strudel (Erdaepfelstrudel)
- 3 large potatoes, about 1 pound
- Salt to taste if desired
- 1/4 pound smoked lean bacon in one piece
- 9 tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 5 egg yolks
- 2 rectangles of phyllo-strudel pastry, widely available in fine food specialty shops
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- Butter to grease baking sheet
- Put the potatoes in a saucepan; add cold water to cover and salt.
- Bring to a boil and let simmer 20 minutes or longer, until the potatoes are tender.
- Drain.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them.
- Grate or, preferably, put them through a food mill or ricer.
- Do not use a food processor, or they will become gummy.
- There should be about 1 3/4 cups, the amount needed.
- Cut the bacon into 1/4-inch cubes.
- Add the cubes to a saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until rendered of fat and golden brown.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly browned.
- Put the potatoes in a mixing bowl and add the bacon mixture, the parsley, salt and pepper.
- Add the egg yolks and blend.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Melt the butter.
- Carefully lay out one rectangle of phyllo-strudel pastry.
- Brush it with half the butter.
- Carefully lay a second rectangle on top of the first.
- Brush it all over with the remaining butter.
- Spoon the potato mixture onto the bottom half of the strudel layer, leaving a 1-inch margin right and left.
- Using a spatula, carefully spread the mixture over the bottom half of the pastry (remember that this pastry tears easily).
- Fold over right and left edges of the pastry.
- Roll the dough bottom to top to enclose the filling in a sausagelike shape.
- Butter a large baking sheet.
- Carefully transfer the potato-filled pastry, seam side down, onto it.
- Place in the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until piping hot throughout and golden brown on top.
- Cut on the diagonal into slices about 1 1/2 inches thick and serve.
potatoes, salt, lean bacon, onion, parsley, freshly ground pepper, egg yolks, rectangles, butter, butter
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2061 (may not work)