Simple Applesauce

1. Toss apples, water, sugar, and salt in Dutch oven. Cover pot and cook apples over medium-high heat until they begin to break down, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up large chunks.
2. Process cooked apples through food mill. Season with sugar to taste or add water as needed to adjust consistency. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. (Applesauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)

If you do not own a food mill or prefer applesauce with a coarse texture, peel the apples before coring and cutting them and, after cooking, mash them against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon or against the bottom of the pot with a potato masher. Applesauce made with out-of-season apples may be somewhat drier than applesauce made with in-season apples, so you may need to add more water in step 2 to adjust the texture. This recipe doubles easily; increase the cooking time by 10 to 15 minutes.

CINNAMON APPLESAUCE
Add 2 cinnamon sticks to Dutch oven with apples. Cook as directed, removing cinnamon sticks before processing. Alternatively, stir 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon into finished applesauce.

CRANBERRY APPLESAUCE
Add 4 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries to Dutch oven with apples. Cook and process as directed.

GINGER APPLESAUCE
Add three 1⁄2-inch slices ginger, peeled and smashed, to Dutch oven with apples. Cook as directed, removing ginger before processing.