Strudel with Fried Apples

steps

1. In a large skillet, cook apples, brown sugar, bacon drippings, cinnamon, and salt over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and apples soften, about 12 minutes. Add flour to mixture and toss to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Remove from heat; let cool 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
3. Roll thawed puff pastry sheet into a 14 by 9-inch rectangle on a lightly floured work surface. Transfer pastry sheet to prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and water; set aside.
4. Using scissors and starting at one long edge of pastry sheet, cut 1-inch- wide slits running from pastry edge toward pastry center, with each slit 2 half inches long. You will end up with 14 strips cut along that long edge. Repeat process on other long edge of pastry sheet. Spoon the cooled apple mixture evenly down the length of the pastry center, avoiding the cuts’ edges on both sides. Brush some of the egg-water mixture lightly over cut strips. Starting with the top left strip, fold the strip over the apples in the center of the pastry at a slight angle. Fold the top right strip over apples at a slight angle to meet the far edge of left strip in center. Repeat with remaining strips, going from left to right to create a braided herringbone effect down center of pastry. Brush strudel with remaining egg-water mixture and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
5. Bake in preheated oven until pastry is crisp and golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on baking sheet. Slice evenly into 8 portions. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.