Macedonian Pear and Fig Strudel

Ingredients

 * 1 lb dried figs, stemmed, about 4 cups
 * 1⅔ cup unsweetened pear juice
 * 10 x ripe pears
 * 1 tsp cinnamon
 * ½ tsp allspice
 * ½ lb filo dough
 * ½ cup butter, melted
 * 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs, toasted
 * ½ cup honey, to taste
 * ½ cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped

Directions

 * 1) Cover the figs with pear juice and bring them to a boil.
 * 2) Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes, until the figs are tender.
 * 3) In a blender or food processor, puree the figs and their cooling juice to make about 3½ cups of smooth fig paste.
 * 4) Meanwhile, peel and core the pears and chop them into bite-sized pieces.
 * 5) In a large bowl combine the fig paste, pears, cinnamon, and allspice.
 * 6) Preheat the oven to 375°F.
 * 7) To assemble the strudel, butter a 9- x 14-inch baking pan and layer ten sheets of filo, two at a time, brushing butter on every second sheet and sprinkling it with bread crumbs.
 * 8) Spread the pear filling evenly on the top sheet of filo.
 * 9) Cover it with ten more sheets of filo, layered as before with butter and bread crumbs.
 * 10) Score the top sheets of filo into pieces approximately 3 inches square.
 * 11) This will make it easier to cut the strudel later and will prevent the top layer from crumbling as you cut it.
 * 12) Be careful not to score the top layers all the way through to the filling, however, or the filling juices will bubble up as the strudel bakes.
 * 13) Bake the strudel for about 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
 * 14) Allow it to cool for 15 minutes.
 * 15) Then heat the honey gently, stirring constantly, until warm and more fluid.
 * 16) Drizzle it evenly over the strudel and top with the nuts.
 * 17) Use a sharp knife to cut the strudel.