The Best Fall Treat... Homemade Applesauce!

It's simple, really.  You just need apples... lots and lots of apples.  Okay, maybe not THAT many, but enough to make plenty of delicious, no sweetener needed, applesauce.  It's one of those fall staples that never goes out of style.  What else are you going to do with all your extra, slightly bruised, no longer crispy, apples anyways?  And guys?  This is so easy.  All you need are apples, water, and one of those fancy turn handle thingees that I don't know the name of... I think it's called a ricer :)


This is the only applesauce I grew up with, and it held fond memories.  Dad would "rice" and at the same time help me make gingersnaps.  Then we'd have a delicious snack at the end.  Mott's applesauce could not, and still cannot, hold a candle to the real, homemade deal.  And as usual, I will promote local WMass apples to be used whenever possible.  They are just better, or I am just spoiled.

Anyways, here's the recipe.  It seriously is so simple, but if you add anything else to this it just won't be as good.  I promise.


Applesauce

• Very ripe McIntosh apples, as many as you want... do not peel!
• Water
• "Fancy turn handle thingee" aka ricer

Here goes... quarter and de-seed your apples.  DO NOT remove the skin, that's half the flavor!  The ratio (oh yes, there's math here) is 6 cups apples quartered and seeded to 1/4 cup water.  This means for every SIX cups of apples you add 1/4 cup of water.  Therefore, if you have NINE cups of apples you need 1/4 + 1/8 which equals 3/8... see that?!

Anyways, combine the apples with the appropriate amount of water in a big stock pot with cover on.  Heat on medium so that you get a nice steaming action.  Keep the cover on, you don't want the water to evaporate!  Keep an eye out, you can poke around the apples every once in a while to make sure they all get evenly mushy.  And that's just it, when they are mushy, not soft, but MUSHY, you are ready.


Take the apples out with a spoon and grind grind grind it all through your ricer, skin and all.  What comes out the other end (into a BOWL please, not your counter) is pure applesauce deliciousness.  Keep grinding until you are all done, make sure the skins are in the grinding process because it really does add flavor.

Let it cool completely before storing in the fridge, or if you were really ambitious seal it in a ziploc and freeze the extra... it will keep until next season!  Or, you can do what any good WMasser would do and eat it still warm with a little vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, gingersnap cookie, plain, with pork chops, or on top of pancakes.  But, whatever you choose, it will be the best applesauce you've ever tasted.  If not, let me know!

Oh, and... enjoy!