Grandma’s Apple Strudel Recipe. A simple apple strudel recipe and a luscious apple dessert that everyone will fall in love with!
Pastry-and-apple desserts made with a light dough like pasta matta and apples are typical across Europe: each nation has its own version. Even the very famous American apple pie (brought to the U.S.A. by the English) or the French Tarte Tatin trace their origins to middle Europe. In Italy, strudel is not the only related dessert: there is also a similar cake called the Rocciata from Umbria.
Apple and raisin strudel in Italy, with its thin pastry sheet enclosing a fragrant and delicious filling, is typical of Trentino, likely originating from Austria and Germany. It is now such a tradition that every family has its own version and recipe.
I have often told you about my Trentino roots: both my grandmother and my father were from that area, and I have also mentioned how my grandmother’s cooking was traditionally inspired by Northern flavors.
At my grandmother’s house polenta (polenta) was never missing, nor were jams and marmalades, fruit tarts and especially apple cakes. And strudel was always there, made at every family gathering without ever weighing anything, because, as she used to say: “you don’t weigh anything for strudel; it’s made by feel”!
That’s how I always made it too, preparing a dessert that is always much loved at my house.
A few days ago, however, determined to share the recipe, for the first time I took paper, pen and a scale and noted the weights of the ingredients, so that you can also make a dessert you will surely adore at the first bite!!
Ready? Let’s go to the kitchen, and if you don’t want to make pasta matta (even if it’s very easy), try store-bought shortcrust pastry (pâte brisée)! Before we roll up our sleeves, remember that if you want to stay updated on new recipes you can follow my Facebook page (here) and my Instagram profile (here).

Also take a look at these apple recipes:

Difficulty: Very easy
Cost: Budget-friendly
Rest time: 15 Minutes
Preparation time: 35 Minutes
Portions: 5 servings
Cooking methods: Oven
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All seasons

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tbsp water
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch salt
2.2 lbs Renette apples (or whatever apples you have at home)
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 lemon (organic, zest and juice)
6.5 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp butter
as needed powdered sugar

Grandma’s apple strudel: preparation…

Start by preparing the pasta matta; while the dough rests you will prepare the filling.
In a bowl combine the flour, oil, water and a pinch of salt (some people also add an egg and reduce the water; my grandmother didn’t use an egg). Work in the bowl and knead until you obtain an elastic, homogeneous dough.
If while working you notice the dough is struggling to become elastic because of the oil, add one or two more tablespoons of water.
Once you have a smooth, lump-free dough, form it into a ball, coat it with olive oil and wrap it in plastic wrap.
Let it rest at room temperature (if it’s not hot) for thirty minutes.
While the dough rests, work on the filling.
Soak the raisins in warm water (or rum, if you prefer).
Wash the apples, peel them, remove the core and cut each into six wedges. You should use Renette apples, but in the end whatever apples you have at home will do. Being a humble dessert, you can make do with what’s on hand.
Slice each wedge into thin, evenly sized slices.
Add all the grated zest, all the lemon juice and a teaspoon of cinnamon, mix and let rest in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
After resting, lightly flour a sheet of parchment paper (my grandmother used a clean white tea towel) and roll out the dough on it.
She could stretch it by hand until it became almost transparent; I roll it out with a rolling pin and only at the end stretch it a bit more by hand.
Once you have a very thin rectangular sheet, brush it with the melted butter, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and arrange the apples, the soaked raisins and the pine nuts on top, leaving a free margin of about 3/4 in (approximately 2 cm) on each side.
Place the rectangle with the short side facing you and fold the free edges of the long sides inward.
Roll the strudel using the parchment paper to help you and shape it gradually with your hands.
The last portion should be lifted and brought over the roll to seal it.
When the strudel is closed, roll it a half turn so the seam is underneath and brush it with more melted butter. If it is too long, fold it into a horseshoe shape and move it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake in a conventional oven at 356°F (180°C) for 45 minutes, watching carefully and lowering the temperature if it browns too quickly.
When baked, remove from the oven, immediately brush with a little milk and carefully transfer to a cutting board or an appropriate plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator after 8–10 hours from preparation and consume within 48 hours.
We usually finish it in about 20 minutes and never manage to store any of it.