Servings: 8
Ingredients:
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon peel zest, grated
1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Brick or Muenster Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 pounds fresh, ripe plums, pitted and diced*
8 sheets phyllo dough
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs, divided
Cooking Directions:
In medium-sized bowl, mix together cream cheese and sugar. Add egg, lemon zest, shredded cheese, and almonds; mix until just blended. Fold in plums; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Place one sheet of phyllo dough on clean work surface. Brush with butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of breadcrumbs. Top with another sheet of phyllo and brush with butter. Place a third sheet of phyllo across the two sheets to create a T-shape; brush with butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon breadcrumbs. Top with another phyllo sheet and brush with butter. Lay next sheet in the same direction as the first two sheets; brush with butter and sprinkle withbread crumbs. Top with another sheet and brush with butter. Repeat the process with remaining two sheets going in the opposite direction. The final configuration should be a cross with four sheets of buttered phyllo positioned in each direction.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Butter a 9-inch pie plate. Center phyllo cross in the prepared pie plate (the edges will overlap quite a bit). Spoon plum mixture evenly into shell; loosely cover filling with overlapping phyllo to enclose. Brush top of dough with remaining butter.
*You may substitute 1 32-ounce can plums, drained, pitted and diced.
Bake strudel for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and heated through. Let strudel stand at least 1 hour before cutting it into wedges.