Rhubarb fever has set in. It always does at G&G Towers come June. My rhubarb stems are fat and juicy, just waiting to be plucked and cooked. I've written quite enough about my love for rhubarb and how to grow it (here is the best summary, which also includes my all time favourite rhubarb and pork recipe) so I won't bore you again. Suffice to say - it's prolific, pretty, easy to grow and delicious, so get one.
Today I want to quench my rhubarb thirst, but also use up some leftovers. I have half a block of marzipan in the larder and half a box of filo pastry going begging. Also, I've been thinking about baklava a lot lately (it happens that way sometimes) so I feel a plan coming neatly together....
Rhubarb, Almond and Orange Blossom Strudel-Baklava
Bit of a Pro-Europe pud this one. Part Austrian strudel because the filling is rolled in filo. Part Turkish baklava because the filling has nuts in it and the whole lot is doused in honey after cooking. Still, I think we might need a few multicultural puddings over the next few days....
- 3 stems of rhubarb
- 3 tbsp orange blossom honey
- 70g marzipan
- 40g flaked almonds
- 20g butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 6 sheets filo
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C and line a baking sheet with silicone or non-stick parchment.
Chop the rhubarb into 1cm³ chunks and place in a small saucepan with 2tbsp of the honey. Cook the rhubarb and honey over a low heat until the rhubarb is just soft but still whole and the honey has dissolved.
Next, chop the marzipan into 1cm³ pieces and add to the saucepan together with 30g of flaked almonds. Stir gently to combine. If the marzipan starts to melt a little then so much the better. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Lay one whole sheet of filo on a clean tea towel and brush the top with melted butter. Lay a second sheet of filo on top of the buttered one and brush with butter again. Repeat until all the filo is used up. Spoon the rhubarb mixture along one end of the filo to make a fat sausage. Then use the tea towel to help you roll up the filo and enclose the mixture. Tuck the ends in, lift onto the baking tray and brush the outside with more melted butter.
Bake for around 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and, whilst still warm, drizzle the remaining honey over the pastry and scatter over the rest of the almonds. Chop into messy, slices and serve warm.
For more rhubarb recipes and other grow your own tips please visit my blog at glutsandgluttony.com