Carol's Strudel

7 cups flour           
2 pkg. dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 cups milk           
1 cup sugar

Put flour in large bowl.  Make it like a mountain on one side of bowl.  Put dry yeast into warm water, let stand until dissolved.  Put 2 cups milk in pan.  Heat until lukewarm.  Add 1 cup of sugar, stir, and then add yeast mixture.  Pour into well around flour in bottom of bowl.  Don't mix.  Let yeast rise 30 to 45 minutes.  Mix and knead dough together. 

Add:      

 

2 eggs

2 Tbsp. Crisco
1 tsp. salt

Knead some more. Add more flour so dough is not sticky.  Let dough rise in bowl at least 1 hour.

Filling:

3 cups ground pecans or other nuts
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
Butter for top of loaves

Mix nuts and sugar together and set aside.  Punch down dough and knead until smooth and elastic. Roll out dough on floured surface into large rectangle about 25 to 27 inches long.  Sprinkle nut mixture over and string eggs over all.  Roll up dough from long side.  Seal long edge. 

Cut into three loaves.  Pull up dough over ends and seal.  Put in 3 greased loaf pans and let rise about 1 hour.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Spread butter over top when done.

This is a delicious nut-filled bread loaf.  The recipe came from my sister-in-law Carol Piotrowski's family.  Carol always makes at least three loaves for Christmas or any other special occasion, such as when we come to visit.