Make your own applesauce for Hannukah meals this year. It’s surprisingly easy.
Apples are in full season – just when they’re urgently needed. For cooking down into applesauce, of course, because during the Hebrew holiday of Hannukah, those delicious latkehs need that sweet apple touch for toppings. If you need a traditional latkeh recipe, here is ours. Or try this spicy twist on that traditional potato pancake. The recipe below has a fun, surprise ingredient that will make your applesauce unique.
Flavored applesauce
Yield: 4 3/4 -5 cups
Ingredients:
1.5 kg. organic apples. Tart green apples are best, but any variety will do.
1/4 cup sugar. Use brown for a deeper taste, white for a lighter color
1 stick cinnamon or 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 thick lemon slice if apples are sweet rather than tart.
3 teabags of any flavor – omit cinnamon or lemon if the tea has a strong cinnamon or lemon flavor
If your apples aren’t organic apples, scrub and rinse them at least twice. Pare away any bruises or nicks. Cut into eighths, removing the core as you cut.
Pour two tablespoons of water into the cooking pot. This is to keep the apple slices from scorching initially.
Put the apples in, and put the sugar, optional cinnamon or lemon slice on top.
Add 2 cups of water. With a spoon, move some of the apples aside to make room for the teabags to be immersed in the water.
Cover and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to medium and cook, uncovered, turning the apples over every so often, for 15 minutes. Take care not to break the teabags.
Taste for sweetness, and if it’s not sweet enough for your taste, add sugar by tablespoons. Remember, it will taste sweeter when it cools down. Cook until apples are soft and mashable.
Remove the cinnamon stick, lemon slice, and teabags. Allow the applesauce to cool.
Blend the applesauce, using a food processor or blender. The peels will give it a chunky texture.
Serve.
Leftover applesauce will last a week in the coolest part of the fridge. Apart from topping latkehs, it’s wonderful on top of plain yoghurt or rice pudding. It’s delicious all by itself, too – even more so with a little whipped cream on top.
Enjoy!
More festive recipes here on Green Prophet:
- Malabi, Silky White Arabic Pudding
- Crunchy Chickpeas for Healthy Snacking
- Eggplant Stuffed with Bulgur and Fruit
Photo by Spring Dew via Flickr.
Author: Miriam Kresh
Miriam Kresh is an American ex-pat living in Israel. Her love of Middle Eastern food evolved from close friendships with enthusiastic Moroccan, Tunisian and Turkish home cooks. She owns too many cookbooks and is always planning the next meal. Miriam can be reached at miriam (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
