Grandma Mitzi's Apple-Nut Squares

Grandma Mitzi’s Apple-Nut Squares

Published on March 2, 2014 | In By
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After coming to America from Sicily and Calabria, the Palazzo/Rizzuto/Greco clan adopted many American ways. They learned to speak English, and celebrated all the American holidays like Thanksgiving with gusto. They always served a complete dinner of traditional American fare (turkey, yams, etc.), side by side with a complete Italian feast specially prepared for the occasion (home-made raviolis, gnocchi, perpettas, etc.).

For desserts, the ladies always made Italian dishes like anise cookies and pizzelles. Except for this one dessert which I don’t think is Italian: perhaps it was their sweet tip-of-the-hat to their new American home – as American as apple pie.

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 1-3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup cooking oil
  • 2 cups unsifted flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 to 6 tart apples, pared/skinned and diced (try 3 Granny Smith & 1 Delicious)
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (trying breaking walnuts in pieces so they are chunks, not finely chopped)
  • Confectioner's sugar

Instructions

  1. Blend together eggs, sugar and oil in large bowl. Set aside.
  2. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
  3. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture.
  4. Fold in apples and nuts.
  5. Bake in lightly greased 9" x 13" pan at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
  6. Cool, cut into squares, and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

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