Crab Strudels

Previously I made the following recipe Ida Garten’s new cookbook called Foolproof.  I had left over crab from Christmas Eve.  This appetizer attracted my attention as she says in the beginning that you can make in advance and freeze unbaked for company.  But I decided last night that we should try one of the three rolls that it makes.  One of the three rolls would be a sufficient appetizer for 4 people.  We have leftovers of tonight.

Ingredients:

12 T unsalted butter, divided

3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

2 t minced garlic (2 cloves)

1 t curry powder

1# fresh lump crabmeat, drained and picked over to remove shells (if you buy it from Costco, you never have to worry about shells)

1 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/3 C freshly squeezed lime juice (2-3 limes)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

15 sheets of phyllo dough, defrosted in the refrigerator overnight

Plain dry bread crumbs

Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling (I found at Williams Sonoma)

Directions:

1.       If not freezing, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. 

2.       Heat 2 T of butter in a medium sauté pan, add the scallions, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until the scallions are tender.  Add the garlic and curry powder and cook for 1 more minute.

3.       Meanwhile, shred the crabmeat into a bowl and mix in the parsley, lime juice, 1 ½ t salt and ½ t pepper.  Stir in the scallion mixture. 

4.       Melt the remaining 10 T of butter in the same sauté pan. 

5.       Place two large pieces of parchment paper on your counter.  On one straighten out the thawed phyllo dough and cover lightly with a damp paper towel. 

6.       On the other begin to assemble the rolls by laying out one sheet of phyllo dough with a long edge facing you.  Brush the sheet generously with melted butter and sprinkle with ½ T bread crumbs.  Repeat the process, layering phyllo, butter and bread crumbs until you have 5 sheets piled up. 

7.       Spoon 1/3 if the crab mixture slightly in from the edge of the long side of the phyllo stack.  Using the parchment paper to get you started, roll the dough tightly around the crabmeat, making sure the roll is even and round. 

8.       Place on the sheet pan with the seam side down. 

9.       Repeat the entire process two more times. 

10.   If you are freezing, cover and place in the freezer on the sheet pan.  Once they are frozen solid, remove from freezer and wrap very well in saran wrap.  I also placed them in a freezer bad before returning them to the freezer.  I also placed the directions for finishing the baking in the bag in case I forgot where they came from. 

11.   To finish the baking:  Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt.  With a small sharp knife, score the strudels diagonally in 1 ½” intervals on the diagonal and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the strudels are nicely browned. 

12.   Slice along the scored lines and serve warm. 

These were very good, but be careful when sprinkling with the salt.  If a bite seemed too salty for me I just removed the top phyllo layer was.  Both of us thought the citrus was a little over whelming and I would use less than the recipe called for.  But all and all definitely company worthy.