Baked apples Italian style are always done in a nice red wine. When they are baking in the oven the wine nicely seeps through the apples and certainly does enhance the flavor. Makes the apples absolutely delicious.
6 green apples (Granny Smith will do just fine)
6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons currants or raisins or some of both
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 ½ cups dry red wine
½ cup water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an apple corer, remove center of apples to within ½ inch of bottom of fruit. In a small bowl, mix sugar, currants or raisins, or both, walnuts, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon butter. Divide mixture equally among the apples to fill cavities. Use remaining 1 tablespoon butter to grease an 11 by 8½-inch baking dish. Arrange apples in dish, filling side up.
Pour wine and water around apples, then cover dish with foil. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until apples are tender. Serve in soup bowls or even deep dessert dishes with wine sauce spooned around each apple. Serves six.
