Peach Plum Crisp

Here’s the great taste and eye appeal of a pie without the fuss of making a crust.  To make this peach crisp is as easy as placing fresh fruit in the bottom of a pan and adding a streusel topping. The fruit juices bubble up and get absorbed into the topping.

Peaches and plums are a stellar combination. But peaches only happen to be great, as are peaches with pears or apples.  I’ve added the extra step of sautéing the nuts and oats in a little butter because it dramatically brings up their flavor.

Makes one 9″ pie

4 ripe peaches
4 ripe plums
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon amaretto liqueur, optional
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoons tapioca powder or cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup walnuts
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup unbleached whole wheat flour
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter, or unrefined palm or coconut oil, chilled and diced
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Scald peaches in boiling water for about 15 seconds.  Slip off skins.  Cut in half and remove pits.  Cut into thin slices and place in a (non-aluminum) 9-inch pie pan or baking dish.

Cut plums in half and remove pits.  Cut into thin slices and add to the peaches.  Stir in lemon juice, amaretto, if using, sugar, cinnamon and tapioca powder.  Set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a wok or thin pan, add and sauté over medium heat the nuts for about 3-4 minutes or until they’re lightly browned and aromatic. Add and sauté the oats for about 3 minutes until they’re lightly browned. Place nut mixture in a food processor and process for 5 seconds or until the nuts are coarsely chopped. Add flour, sugar, remaining butter and sea salt and pulse 4 or 5 times to blend or until a coarse but crumbly texture is formed.

Pour the fruit into a 9″ pie pan or shallow casserole dish.  Spoon the oat topping evenly over the fruit mixture.  Place in a preheated 400 degrees F. oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and the fruit bubbles around the edges.  Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

May you be well nourished,

Rebecca Wood