Miniature Phyllo Strudels with Crushed Pineapple Filling

Ingredients

• 1.385 gram crushed pineapple, tinned
• 2.15 millilitre maizena (cornflour)
• 3.2 egg yolks
• 4.80 gram sugar
• 5.10 millilitre lemon juice
• 6.2 apples, peeled and grated
• 7.250 gram phyllo pastry, THE PASTRY MUST BE KEPT COVERED AT ALL TIMES
• 8.250 millilitre butter or margarine, melted
• 9.200 gram marie biscuits, crushed

Method

1. 1.FILLING: Drain the crushed pineapple, press in a strainer. Measure juice to make up to 170 ml (two-thirds cup) with extra pineapple juice if necessary.
2. 2.Blend the maizena, yolks, sugar, lemon and pineapple juice. Stir continuously over low heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat, add the fruit. Return to heat and cook a further 5 minutes, stirring. Cool.
3. 3.PASTRY: Remove the phyllo from its plastic wrap. Place the pastry on a cloth and cover with a dampened cloth. THE PASTRY MUST BE KEPT COVERED AT ALL TIMES. If you do not do this, the pastry dries out and becomes impossible to use.
4. 4.Take 1 sheet of pastry, place on a board, brush with the melted butter or marge. Repeat another 2 or 3 times.
5. 5.Sprinkle the biscuit crumbs over the top layer.
6. 6.Cut the sheets into 4. Place a good tablespoon of filling at the bottom of each square. Roll each square like a blintze.
7. 7.When enclosing the sides, give a generous fold to prevent spillage.
8. 8.Brush with melted butter or marge. Make up the rest of the phyllo in this way.
9. 9.You can freeze the strudels at this stage or bake them in a 190°C (375°F) oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.
10. 10.Serve warm, sprinkled with icing sugar.

Notes

• Maizena = brand name for cornstarch/cornflour, widely used in South African cooking.
• Marie biscuits = plain sweet biscuits (similar to Rich Tea); widely available in South Africa.
• These freeze well before baking — useful for entertaining.
• Blintze folding = roll the filling inside the pastry with the ends tucked in.