Cherry Strudel

1 ¼ C sugar

½ C firmly packed light brown sugar

1 ½ T corn starch

4 C pitted, tart, fresh or frozen, thawed cherries

⅓ C water

2 t grated lemon or orange zest

½ t vanilla or almond extract

¼ t ground allspice

⅛ t ground cinnamon

∙ In a medium saucepan, mix together granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cornstarch.

∙ Stir in cherries, water, lemon zest, and vanilla.

∙ Cook over medium heat until bubbling and thickened.

∙ Reduce heat to low, add allspice and cinnamon, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

∙ Remove pan from heat.

∙ Cool completely.

∙ Preheat oven to 400'.

∙ Grease a baking sheet.

8 sheets phyllo pastry, thawed if frozen

3 T butter, melted

1 T powdered sugar

∙ Unfold sheets of phyllo so they lie flat.

∙ Stack 4 sheets of phyllo on plastic wrap.

∙ Brush top sheet with 1 T melted butter.

∙ Keep remaining sheets covered with plastic wrap and a damp cloth to prevent them drying out.

∙ Spread half filling along a short side of top pastry sheet.

∙ Starting with short side and using plastic wrap as a guide, roll up pastry, jelly-roll style.

∙ Fold ends under.

∙ Place strudel, seam-side down, on prepared baking sheet.

∙ Brush with ½ T melted butter.

∙ Repeat with remaining phyllo, melted butter, and filling to make second strudel.

∙ Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

∙ Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.

∙ Transfer strudels to a cutting board to cool completely.

∙ Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

∙ Makes 70 servings