Recipes by Elizabeth Hartman: Apple Strudel; Stuffed Peppers

Elizabeth Hartman's Apple Strudel

The Strudel Dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted lard
One egg yolk
About 2/3 cup lukewarm milk
Melted butter
Sugar

Sift together flour and salt in mixing bowl. Make hole in center of flour, add lard, egg yolk, gradually stir in enough milk to form soft dough. Turn out dough on lightly floured board. Knead until dough is elastic and no longer sticks to the board (about 10 minutes of vigorous kneading). Place dough on floured board. Cover with warmed bowl; let rest about 20 minutes. Place dough on lightly floured sheet on large kitchen table. Pull dough from all directions being certain dough does not break. Dough should be paper-thin. Spread with apple mixture as directed below (or use cherry, poppy seed or cheese filling). Lift table cloth rolling up strudel jelly-roll fashion. Brush outside lightly with melted butter. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F. oven 35 minutes (or until brown and crisp). Slice to serve hot. Top with granulated sugar. Pass whipped or sour cream. Serves 6-8.

Apple Filling:
1/2 cup bread crumbs lightly browned in 4 tablespoons butter
8 or 10 tart cooking apples, peeled, cut in thin slices
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup currants (optional)
1/2 cup ground almonds
About 2/3 cup sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Sprinkle dough with bread crumbs, apples, raisins, currants, almonds and cinnamon sugar. Roll up as directed. To speed process purchase stretched strudel dough from Hungarian bakeries and spread with your favorite filling. Bake as directed above.

Elizabeth Hartman's Stuffed Peppers

6 medium-sized green peppers
1 pound lean ground pork (uncooked)
3 tablespoons chopped onion
1 small clove garlic, pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons lard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1 cup cooked rice
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup water
Pinch of sugar

Cut off tops of peppers, reserve tops for "lids." Remove stem, seeds and inside ribs. Wash, drain well; set aside. Mix pork with onion and garlic; saute lightly in lard over low heat, stirring with a fork to keep pork from sticking together, Pour off excess fat. Add salt, pepper, paprika and rice. Mix well. Fill peppers with pork mixture; replace lids. Dilute tomato sauce with water in large saucepan. Season to taste, adding small amount of sugar. Place peppers carefully in saucepan. Cover and simmer slowly about 1 1/4 hours. Add water as needed during simmering. Remove peppers to
heated deep serving dish. Cook sauce over medium heat to reduce slightly. Correct seasonings. Spoon over stuffed peppers. Serves 6.

Elizabeth's Thoughts: Substitute beef for pork. Caraway or dill added to meat filling can spruce up this Hungarian dish.