Sheila'S Best Apple Crisp (No Oats) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs cooking apples
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt (you can be generous unless you decide to substitute salted butter)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter

Preparation

Cut cold butter into small cubes. Place in freezer to chill further.
PREPARE APPLES.
Peel apples.
Cut an apple into quarters. Cut out core. Cut each apple slice one more time so that there are 8 slices.
Cube the apple by cutting each slice the \"short\" way 2 or 3 times. Apple chunks should be no smaller than 1 inch (or they will get too mushy when cooking).
Cube the remaining apples.
Put apples into an 8 1/2 x 12 inch au gratin casserole dish, or an equivalent baking dish (it's pretty forgiving).
Pour water over apples.
PREPARE TOPPING:.
In the food processor put the sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and flour. Pulse until combined.
Remove butter from freezer and put into food processor.
Pulse to blend. Topping should be smaller than peas but not as fine as cornmeal.
Add 3/4 cups chopped pecans pulse too mix.
Sprinkle topping over apples evenly.
Cover dish with foil.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Uncover.
Bake for 30 more minutes.
Cool before serving.