Early fall is a ridiculous time to get a cooking block. Inspiration is everywhere as is almost everything that might be in season right now. The markets are awash with great stuff; summer tomatoes eggplant corn and peppers jostle for space on tables with apples pears leafy greens and winter squash. But somehow—when I’m not playing SuperMom or Good Football Wife or waxing lyrical about tiny fall outfits—I’m at an impasse. The summer stuff is dwindling; the last tomatoes I brought home were… raw to put it mildly. And since the squash and kale are the last bits of fresh produce we’ll see until the asparagus shows up in May 2011 seven very long months from now I’m sure you can understand why I’ve been putting off cooking with them for as long as possible.
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All Butter Really Crispy Pie Dough (and a Perfect Apple Pie!) | Smitten Kitchen with Deb Perelman
So I was spending an unhealthy amount of time contemplating my First World Problem — what to cook next? — when a reader (Hi Janet!) sent me a link to Nigel Slater’s single-crust plum pie in The Guardian two weeks ago and of course it was plum season is almost over. Slater claims that some fruits are too moist for a double-crust pie and plums are one of them. To compensate for the stiffness of the lack of a bottom crust he makes the top crust really thick and lo and behold these aren’t his words but let’s face it: it’s a biscuit. And it’s great.
I also like that it challenges some pie assumptions; instead of a sweet filling against a virtually unsweetened crust this has a sweet crust and the fruit is a tart contrast. I especially like that it brings pie into what is often a woefully under-pie month in the lull between the double-crusted cherry and berry pies of summer and the heavy pumpkins and pecans of Thanksgiving.
Oh and the lid crumbles. As it should. There’s no way to get a clean slice and you shouldn’t even try. This pie is meant to be scooped up carelessly with a big spoon dumped unceremoniously onto a plate with haphazardly whipped cream and eaten shortly after it comes out of the oven. It’s weeknight food and the best kind because what’s to stop you from having this for dinner tonight?
