Photo by Jessica Leibowitz

If you don’t count the salt (and you shouldn’t), you might wonder how the heck anyone can make a delicious apple crisp with just three ingredients. The answer is by starting with granola, which comes equipped with oats, nuts, sugar, and dried fruit.  (Is this cheating?  Don’t tell anyone.)

Makes 6 servings
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Total preparation time: 60 minutes

1/3- to ½- cup apricot preserves or sweetened fruit spread
4 large Golden Delicious apples (about 2 pounds)
Table salt
2 cups sweetened granola

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a shallow 6- cup baking dish. Melt the preserves in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stove. (Depending on how much apricot flavor you want, melt 1/3- or ½-cup).

Peel and thinly slice the apples; toss them with the preserves and a pinch of salt in the greased baking dish and spread them out to make an even layer. Sprinkle the granola evenly over the apples; cover the dish loosely with a sheet of greased aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes.

Remove the aluminum foil and bake about 15 minutes longer until the apples are tender. Serve warm or cold.