warm apple crisp mmm.

i’m a real pie lover but have always found most pies too heavy. that's why this crisp i adapted off the William Sonoma site is the perfect alternative. it can be manipulated to any kind of fruit pie but apple is my pick. this easy and relatively quick treat is great alone or with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream melting all over it! not to mention it fills the house with a warm cinnamon goodness that seduces any nose!

ingredients:

music: fly me to the moon - frank sinatra
mood: don't mind peeling, chopping, and getting your hands dirty

for the crisp topping:

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

8 Tbs. unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

for the apple filling:

1/2 cup maple syrup or honey (your choice)

Pinch of salt

1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

6 tart apples such as pippin and granny smith, peeled, halved,

cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 6 cups)

directions:

position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350°F. lightly grease a 12-inch oval or 9-by-13-inch rectangular baking dish with a 2-quart capacity.

to make the topping, in a bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, applesauce and cinnamon. add the pecans and toss to mix. cover and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

to make the filling, in a small bowl, stir together the maple syrup, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. place the apple slices in a large bowl, sprinkle with the maple mixture and toss to distribute evenly. spread the apple mixture in the prepared baking dish. sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples.

bake until the topping is crisp and golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 50 minutes. serve warm. serves 8.

xx penguina