Catholic Recipe: Apple Dowdy

To return to Saint Swithin, besides the rain, his specialty is apples.

He blesses Bramley Seedlings For dumplings or pie; Blenheims will keep till Christmas If lofted cool and dry; And scarlet crabs for jelly And Coxes ripe from Rent Shall round an English belly To apple-fat content,

says Elizabeth Sewell in a delightful poem published in Duckett's Register. And she ends:

High in the Heavenly Places I see Saint Swithin stand. His garments smell of apples And rain-wet English land.

So in honor of Saint Swithin we may make Apple Dowdy. This is a type of apple crisp and is easy to make. This apple dessert is perfect for the "dog days of summer".

DIRECTIONS

Peel and quarter firm, tart apples and place them in a baking dish. Sprinkle light brown sugar over them, the amount depending upon the sweetness of the apples. Dust with a very little cinnamon, and grate nutmeg over the top. Dot generously with butter and pour over 1/2 cup of warm water. Cover the top with a rich biscuit dough, rolled about 3/4 of an inch thick, slash a few holes to allow the steam to escape, and bake in a 300° F. oven for three hours. Serve with thick, unwhipped cream.

Recipe Source: Feast Day Cookbook by Katherine Burton and Helmut Ripperger, David McKay Company, Inc., New York, 1951