As both film and food nerds, we owe it to ourselves to combine the things we love. So, we’re tackling the best of the food and movie worlds in one brand new series: Film Du Jour! Yep, you heard correctly folks, in this recurring segment, we take on the very best of cinematic foods and give you the tricks and tools to transcending these delicious looking morsels from film to table. We all can think of a few memorable scenes where our favorite movies featured a delicious dish or two, much to our stomachs’ lament. Well now you can do something about that! First up: Inglourious Basterds’ Apple Strudel.
You remember the scene. Master filmmaker Quentin Tarantino presents us with one of the most mouth watering pastries in history, as Nazi Colonel Hans Landa corners and questions the nervous French beauty of Jewish descent, Shoshanna, about her cinema and its state of security. This all takes place in a busy French bistro. However, as gorgeously written as the scene is, perhaps the most memorable part of the scene has to be the two delicious apple strudels Landa orders in the middle of the conversation. According to Landa, the strudels at this particular bistro are, “not so terrible”, but our rumbling bellies would have to slightly disagree. They look AMAZING. The fresh, crisp dough and pastry filling are placed before the two characters, but Landa forces Shoshanna to wait until they bring out a scrumptious dish of decadent whipped cream to top off each dish.
Why so memorable? Well, the food is there to brighten an intensely high-pressure scene that would otherwise feel heavy and morose. Instead, we the audience are fixated on the perfectly cooked crust and brightly whipped cream that graces the pallets of each character…left only to imagine what heavenly flavors they might be tasting. Not to fear, folks. We’ve got a recipe that will fill all of your Nazi-killing strudel needs that would hopefully even make Quentin Tarantino proud. Feel free to follow the recipe below and make sure you serve your strudel with a glass of espresso or milk, and of course…la creme!
Hans Landa’s “Not So Terrible” Strudel
Ingredients:
1 Filo pastry pack
1/2 stick of melted unsalted butter
4 Apples, cored & peeled
1 cup pecan nuts
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Three slices of white bread
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup golden raisins
Splash of rum or rum extract
Pinch of salt
Powdered sugar for dusting
Steps:
-Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
-Place a large pan with lid on a high heat, add the apples, sugar, salt, raisins and spices.
-Cook for 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally.
Once the apples have started to break down around the edges, remove from heat and allow to cool.
-Place nuts and bread on an oven tray and toast for 6 minutes, turning the bread half way through. When toasted place in a food processor and pulse a couple of times.
-Once the apples have cooled, combine with the chopped nuts and bread, add the rum.
-Place the first sheet of filo pastry down and brush liberally with melted butter. Next, take another sheet of filo pastry and overlap on to the first.
-Brush with butter and sprinkle with 2 tsp of sugar. Repeat this process with the other filo pastry sheets. Butter the second layer, butter and sugar the third layer, and then only butter the fourth layer.
-Take the apple mix and spoon onto the edge nearest you, leaving a three finger gap between the edge of the pastry and the filling on all three sides.
-Fold the flap of pastry nearest you over the filling, brush with butter and fold in both sides, brush again with butter. Start to roll the pastry and filling away from you, brushing the pastry with butter as you go.
-Once rolled, carefully place the Strudel onto a buttered, large baking tray. Sprinkle with sugar and place in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
-Top with powdered sugar and a healthy dollop of whipped cream.
-Enjoy!
Are you hungry yet?
Tiny Table 3 
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