If making pie crust, chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes or 15 minutes in the freezer. Place peeled, cored, & thinly sliced apples in a bowl with the lemon juice, sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, & salt. Fold gently until everything is coated. Let mixture macerate (release juices) at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Using a silicone baking mat that has been sprinkled with flour, roll pie crust into an 11″ or 12″ circle with a floured rolling pin until the crust is about ¼″ thick. Roll from the center outwards, & rotate the crust so it doesn’t stick to the mat. Arrange apples in the center of the crust, make it pretty if you want, since it is open faced. Leave about 2 inches of space around the edges. Pour any liquid the apples released over the top of the apples. Fold up the edges of the dough & crease where necessary to conceal the apples within the crust. Place little cubes of butter over the apples. This helps the apples not dry out too quickly. Lift the whole mat, supporting underneath the crostata, & place it onto a baking sheet.

Bake at 425˚F for 30-45 minutes or until the apples are done & the crust has browned. If things start to get too brown, cover the crostata with some foil until it is done baking. Check the doneness of the apples with a fork. Allow to cool slightly before cutting & serving. Top with a drizzle of caramel & fresh, sweetened whipped cream.