Berry & Nectarine Slab Pie

With Labor Day quickly approaching, summer is officially coming to an end. It will only be a matter of time before the warm flavors of pumpkin, apples, and cinnamon invade bakeries across the country. But a quick trip to the farmers market, and I had an abundance of nectarines, berries, and cherries. What to do with them? That’s where a little inspiration from Martha Stewart’s Slab Pie came into the equation.

And guess what? There’s no pie dish required for this recipe. Slab pies are rectangular and made on shallow sheet trays, providing an unexpected twist that goes beyond the circumference of the traditional 8 sliced dessert.

Martha Stewart’s Slab Pie (Adapted) 

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour, for dusting

Cornmeal Pate Brisee, recipe below

2 1/2 pounds fresh mixed berries and sliced nectaries (about 6 cups total)

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Juice of 1/2 lemon 

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/4 cup turbinado sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger piece of dough to an 18-by-13-inch rectangle. Fit into a 15-by-10-inch rimmed baking sheet, pressing into corners (pastry will hang over sides). Chill while assembling filling.
2. In a large bowl, stir together berries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt. Spread mixture over chilled pie shell.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining piece of dough to a 16-by-11-inch rectangle; drape over filling. Fold edge of bottom dough over top dough. Pinch edges to seal. Prick top dough all over with a fork. Brush entire surface of pie with cream, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
4. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling bubbles, 40 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let pie cool until it is just warm to the touch, about 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into 12 pieces. Slab pie is best eaten the same day it is baked, but it can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.

Cornmeal Pate Brisee:

4 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon coarse salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 pound (4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

12 to 16 tablespoons ice water

Directions

1. Process flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter. Process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream just until dough comes together. (Do not process more than 30 seconds.)
2. Turn dough out in two portions onto two pieces of plastic wrap, with one slightly larger than the other (this will be your bottom crust). Flatten dough, and shape into rectangles. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (or overnight).

What's In Season: Blackberries

What’s In Season

It’s late August which means blackberries on the east coast only have a short time left until we say must our goodbyes. So in an effort to make the most of them, I'll be baking and preserving these sweet little berries in as many ways as possible. 

Pairs well with:

• Cinnamon
• Lemon and citrus
• Other berries
• Peaches
• Hazelnut 

What to make/eat:

1. Homemade blackberry jam: Easy to make and even easier to eat all year long. Whether you spread it over warm toast for breakfast, or swirl into your favorite vanilla ice cream for dessert, you can’t go wrong with this simple-to-prepare staple.
2. Lemon curd trifle: A great make-ahead dessert for entertaining. Fold fresh whipped cream into lemon curd (store bought or homemade) and layer with cubed pound cake, more freshly whipped cream, and fresh blackberries. A drizzle of Grand Marnier or Limoncello over each layer of poundcake is nice, too. Refrigerate a few hours to overnight to allow the flavors come together before enjoying.
3. Blackberry buckle: Often prepared with blueberries, this dessert is called a "buckle" because when you add too much fruit to this the cake and crumble combo, it will literally buckle. Top buttery, vanilla cake batter with a layer of fresh blackberries and cover with streusel; bake until golden and serve warm with a dollop of cream.