Criss-Cross Applesauce

I loved applesauce as a kid and had a craving for the rustic version this week. This recipe is from the James Beard American Cookery cookbook of 1972. I had no idea applesauce was so easy!

Ingredients:
6 to 8 cooking apples, 4 to 8 ounces each
1/2 to 3/4 cup water
Sugar to taste

Directions:
Peel, core, and cut apples into sixths. Place in a heavy saucepan and add a small amount of water - just enough to create necessary to soften the apples. Cover, and cook over medium heat till the apples are done. Then stir with a wooden spoon or spatula and add sugar to taste, along with whatever spice you like, such as nutmeg, cinnamon, mace, or ginger. Apples vary so much in sugar content that it is folly to sweeten them before they are cooked.

Notes: My apples were sweet enough so no sugar was added. After apples cooked I pressed through a ricer.