Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
Peel and slice the apples thinly,
and put them in a bowl of cold water with a little lemon juice to stop them
going brown. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat and keep warm.
Carefully cut the filo pasty into 30 x 50cm sheets with a knife. Mix the
pecans, cinnamon and dark muscovado sugar together.
Lay the first sheet
of filo pasty on a clean tea towel on your work surface and brush with melted
butter. Sprinkle over a third of the pecan mixture. Lay another sheet of filo
pastry on top, brush with butter and sprinkle again with a third of the pecan
mixture. Repeat with the third sheet and top everything with the fourth sheet.
Drain your apples well and toss with the caster sugar and drained
cranberries. Spread them out along one edge of the top sheet of filo pastry.
Brush the opposite edge with a little water. Starting at the edge with the apple
mixture on, gently lift the edge of the tea towel and use it to help you roll
the pastry up lengthways like a Swiss roll – the apples will end up at the
centre. Once it’s all rolled up, press your strudel together
gently.
Place it on a baking try and bake in the preheated oven for about
20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with some good vanilla ice
cream.
Try making the strudel with a little ground ginger and cloves for
a lovely twist.