APPLE COBBLER CROSTADA WITH WARM CARAMEL SAUCE

I was halfway through this yummy dessert when I remembered the camera sitting on the counter.

Crostada is a nice dessert for a casual dinner. It's less fussy than a pie but tastes just as good. You can make it with regular old pie crust, or you can use a basic sweet dough recipe. It'll be good either way.

Who doesn't like apple pie? And for this recipe, the apples are cooked twice. Uh oh -- too much work, you say? It's worth it, I say -- it keeps the

filling from getting too runny, and it intensifies the flavor of the apples. Try it once and you'll be convinced it's the best way to make an apple pie -- or an apple crostada.

Apple Cobbler Crostada with Warm Caramel Sauce

Source: Adapted from NBC11.com

Rating: 8 out of 10

INGREDIENTS:

1. Dough: Your favorite pastry dough for a one-crust pie

2. Filling: 4-1/2 cups tart apples (I used a mixture of Rome and Winesap)

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. frozen apple juice concentrate

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp. white sugar

pinch sea salt

2 Tbsp. Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend

In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, apple juice concentrate, cinnamon, sugars and salt, mixing well. In a heavy-bottomed pan, melt the SB over high heat. Add the apple mixture and cook till apples are tender and juices are cooked down, stirring constantly. This only takes a few minutes. Remove from heat and cool thoroughly. (I usually take the apples out of the pan and put them in another cooler baking pan to stop the cooking process.)

3. Cobbler Topping:

INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 Tbsp. quick oats

pinch sea salt

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. molasses

1 Tbsp. SB 50/50 Butter Blend

Combine all ingredients in bowl of food processor; pulse till mixture is like pebbles. Refrigerate till ready to use.

4. Caramel Sauce: I took the easy way out and used Smucker's Butterscotch-Caramel Sauce.

5. Assembly: Preheat oven to 375F. Roll the dough out into a 12-13" circle. Place the apple mixture in center, leaving about 3" of dough on the outsides. Sprinkle with the cobbler topping. Fold the sides of the dough up, allowing dough to fold over onto itself on the sides (see photo above), creating a pinwheel appearance. Press the package tight and refrigerate until chilled. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until nicely golden brown and filling bubbles. Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of warm caramel sauce. Yield: 6-8 servings