Column from December 24, 2009

Strudel is one of the traditional desserts

found on Hungarian tables during the Christmas season.

Boldog Karácsonyt

Growing up, my family always had a traditional American Christmas. However, that also included some wonderful pastries baked by my grandmother, who emigrated from Hungary.

The traditions from that country are quite unique.

Nativity plays are very much an important part of the Hungarian Christmas tradition. Performed by groups of children or adults, these plays are often combined with puppets and are accompanied by songs and musical instruments. Dancing is also often part of the plays.

Santa Claus or Winter Grandfather (St. Nicholas) arrives Dec. 6. Children clean and put their shoes outside next to the door or window before they go to sleep.

The next day, they find candies and small toys in red bags stuffed in their shoes.

Early in the evening of Dec. 24, the children go to visit a friend or relative or they go to the movies. While they’re gone, little Jesus brings the tree and the presents to their house. It is customary to hang edible items on the tree, like golden-wrapped assorted chocolates and meringues beside the glass balls, candles (real or electric) and sparklers.

A festive dinner is usually cooked, which typically includes fresh fish with rice or potatoes and homemade pastries for dessert.

After dinner, the tree is seen by the children for the first time. Christmas songs are sung and gifts under the tree are shared.

The next day, the children get to enjoy the edible parts of the tree and more festive food is served.

Many of the folk traditions have begun to disappear, but they are still common in some of the remote areas. In the old villages, the kitchen table is covered and decorated for holidays and the food served has special meanings. For example, “apple” means beauty and love.

I can understand that when I think back to my grandmother’s wonderful apple strudel. I often got to help her create this exquisite pastry. She would roll the dough out and then pull it from underneath until it was so thin you could see through it.

My grandmother has been gone for many years now, but she did pass on some of her recipes, including her strudel recipe. She also gave me a much easier recipe for apple strudel than the one she regularly used and that’s the one I’m sharing with you this week.

Easy strudel

2 cups sifted flour

1/2 pound butter

3 beaten egg yolks

2 tablespoons vinegar

1/4 cup water

3 apples

Sugar and cinnamon

Cut butter into flour; add eggs, vinegar and water; mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Divide into three parts. Roll as for pie crust (about 15 inches). Cover with one peeled, sliced apple for each strudel. Sprinkle with sugar (about 3 tablespoons per strudel) and cinnamon. Roll up. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.