Cheese Strudel
Käse Strudel

Ingredients:

1 - 1b. box phyllo dough
3 cups. cottage cheese, pressed through potato ricer or sieve
8 oz Cream Cheese (1 package)
1/2 cup butter or 1 stick
3 egg yolks
1 / 3 to 1/ 2 cup sugar ( depending on taste)
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 tsp salt
Vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tsp. Grated lemon peel

Optional
1 teaspoon cinnamon
a few raspberries for garnish
Fresh Whipped cream

Directions:

Measure out your ingredients, melt your butter and soften the cream cheese

2. Rinse the cottage cheese, Press to drain water out. With your hand or rubber scrapper press the cheese through the mesh of the strainer. You could also put this in a food processor.

3. Add the cream cheese, eggs and blend in. Add the sugar, salt and blend. Add the sugar, salt and blend.
If you want to add a teaspoon of cinnamon. Add the flour and mix in. You can eliminate the flour if you need to, it is mainly to thicken the filling a little more.

4. Slit a vanilla bean down the center wth a paring knife or scissors. (click to enlarge picture) Scrape the pulp out with the back of your knife and put into the mix. I use a microplane or zester to grate in approximately 1 teaspoon lightly packed lemon peel. About 1/3 of the lemon. You can also use a vegetable peeler and then dice it very fine.

5. Roll out the Phyllo Dough on the counter. Cover the dough with a slightly damp towel. Some folks put plastic wrap over the top layer to protect it from the moisture. Brush the top layer with butter.

6. Spread 1-1/2 cup of the filling over the phyllo leaving a 2 inch border on each side. Lift up about 6 phyllo sheets Roll the phyllo up.

7. Finish rolling and lift it onto a sheet pan that has been greased or on a silpat. Brush with melted butter. I like to curve the strudels slightly to fit the pan. Bake the Strudel at 350 degrees F. for 20 -25 minutes

We served this with whipped cream and cheddar cheese slices. a few raspberries for garnish.