Plum Pandowdy: This One's for the Fruit Lovers

 

A pandowdy flips the traditional pie on its head. Here, it's not all about a beautiful crust. It's about the fruit. Juicy, ripe, flavor-packed fruit picked at the very peak of its season and not a second sooner. This one is for the fruit-lovers.

It's very possible that you've never heard of a pandowdy. This is a classic New England fruit dessert in the tradition of cobblers, grunts, slumps and crisps. Ripe fruit is sliced into a baking pan and covered with a single layer of piecrust.

Partway through cooking, you do the unthinkable: you take your beautiful piecrust and slice it into large pieces. The edges sink down into the bubbling fruit filling while the middles stay afloat and crispy. You still get your delicious bits of crust, no worries there. But you also get pudding-like morsels where the piecrust has absorbed the hot fruit juices and turned jammy.

Like I said, this one is for the fruit lovers. Embrace it with all its fruity goodness.

Plum Pandowdy

Serves 8-10.

2 pounds ripe plums (about 10 fruits)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Zest from one lemon

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 batch Cream Cheese Piecrust (see recipe below)

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar (see note)

Heat the oven to 375 F.

Slice the plums into bite-sized chunks over a mixing bowl to catch the juices. Mix in the brown sugar, spices, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Taste and add more spices if desired. Stir in the flour.

Pour the plums into the bottom of a cast-iron skillet, 8- by 8-inch baking dish, or 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Roll out the piecrust and settle it over the fruit. Tuck the edges into the pan around the fruit. Melt the butter, brush it over the piecrust, and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. Poke a few holes in the crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 30 minutes. Use a sharp knife to "dowdy" the crust into several large pieces. Bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the crust is golden and the fruit juices are bubbling up through the crust. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes before serving.

Unlike a pie, this fruit filling will still be very loose and liquid, even when fully cool. Spoon it into serving bowls and top with a scoop of ice cream. Leftovers become even more pudding-like and make a dandy breakfast or afternoon snack. Keep refrigerated for up to a week.

Note: To make cinnamon sugar, combine 1/4 cup granulated white sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl, using a fork or small whisk to thoroughly blend the two together. Store in an airtight container or old spice jar.

Easy Cream Cheese Piecrust

Makes two 9-inch pie crusts; recipe can be halved

2 1/2 cups (12.5 ounces) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

8 ounces cold cream cheese

8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

2-4 teaspoons cold water

Pour the flour, salt and sugar into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Cut the cold cream cheese and cold butter into large pieces and sprinkle them over the flour. Toss a bit with your fingers to coat the pieces with flour.

Give the flour, butter, and cream cheese 10-12 one-second pulses. The result should look like large shaggy crumbs.

Remove the lid and sprinkle the vinegar and two teaspoons of the cold water over the dough. Replace the lid and process continuously for 3-5 seconds until you see the dough just starting to come together. It should still look a bit crumbly with visible flour and visible streaks of fat. When you pinch some in your fist, it should easily hold together. If it doesn't, sprinkle another two teaspoons of water over the top and process again.

Turn the dough out onto your work surface and divide it into two equal parts. Gather each mound of dough and press it into a flat 1-inch thick disk or square, depending on the shape of the pan you will be using. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or overnight.

Tear off two large pieces of wax paper. Unwrap one of the pieces of dough and set it in the center of a piece of wax paper. Lay the other piece on top. Working from the middle of the dough out, begin rolling the dough into a thin crust. The dough will be tough to roll at first but then will gradually become more malleable as it becomes thinner. Rotate the dough and flip it to the other side a few times as you roll. Peel back the wax paper occasionally and sprinkle the dough with a little flour to make sure it doesn't start to stick.

It's fine to bake the crust right away, but if you have time, chill it in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes before putting it in the oven. This chilling time helps the dough keep its shape better in the oven and tends to make a flakier crust.

 

Emma Christensen is a writer for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking.

 

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Plum Pandowdy: This One's for the Fruit Lovers

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