ED. Note: I've eaten a lot of strudel in my time, but I have not had bean. This is another of those "kitchen food" recipes developed by our ethnic ancestors, which allowed them to add variety to their simple food supply. Strudel is soul food for anyone brought up in the Burgenland tradition. I love beans and so I think I'd like this strudel. I must convince my wife to make it. She balks at making the dough but refuses to use the commercial leaves (they are often too dry). This recipe is from "The Cooking Of Burgenland" by Chef Alois Schmidt, as translated by Bob Strauch and published in the most recent BG News. The use of farina is an old cook's trick to bulk and hold a mixture together. I've read of it being used as a secret ingredient in crème cake filling. If you try this strudel, please let us know how you like it.
| 1-1/2 lbs. dried white beans | 1/2 cup farina (Cream of Wheat) |
| 1/2 lb. Onions chopped | 1/2 lb. Bacon chopped |
| 3 Tbsp. Fat | 1 Roll diced small (or equivalent in bread crumbs) |
| 1 1/2 tsp. Salt | 3/4 Tbsp. Black pepper |
| 1 Tbsp. Marjoram | 1/2 cup sour cream-water |
| Stretch Strudel dough or packaged phyllo pastry leaves (see previous strudel recipes to make dough) |
Soak beans overnight. Cook in salted water until tender; drain. Season with marjoram, pepper and salt. Sauté farina in fat until lightly golden. Stir in enough water to give the mixture a medium thick consistency. Fry the bacon, onions and Roll dice together. In a bowl mix beans, onions, bacon, roll and farina well. Spread this filling on strudel dough, roll up and transfer to greased baking sheet. Brush the strudel with melted butter or beaten egg. Bake in preheated medium oven about 40 minutes. Serve hot or cold, garnished with sour cream.