- 2 medium Rome apples
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
- Special equipment: 4 (1/3-cup) round shallow ceramic baking dishes
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
- Peel and halve apples, then core (preferably with a melon-ball cutter). Cut apples into thin slices and toss with lemon juice and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in a bowl.
- Divide apples among baking dishes, overlapping slices, and sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon water.
- Bake on a baking sheet until apples are crisp-tender, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, stir together oats, cinnamon, salt, and remaining tablespoon brown sugar in a bowl until combined. Rub butter into oat mixture for topping until evenly distributed.
- Sprinkle topping over apples and bake until topping is golden, 25 to 30 minutes more. Transfer dishes to a rack to cool at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.