This recipe for pie in a bowl is dedicated to all fans of pie for breakfast. Add a scoop of fresh tangy yogurt and you’ve got a hearty bowl of crumble-topped goodness to start the day. You can substitute other stone fruits for the plums if you wish: peaches, nectarines, and apricots work well. Use sturdy oven-safe bowls and bake on a baking sheet.
Makes four 4-inch or two 6-inch bowls
Serves 4 to 8
2 pounds plums, sliced (4 to 5 cups)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons potato starch
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 dashes Old Fashion bitters
If you’d like this pie to be more tart than sweet, it’s fine to reduce the sugar, especially if your plums are nice and ripe.
Divide the dough into 2 or 4 pieces, depending on the size of bowls being used. Roll each piece into a disc 2 to 3 inches larger than the bowl (see here for rolling instructions). Grease the bowls well and fit the dough inside; crimp the edges as desired (see here). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Position the oven racks in the bottom and center positions, place a rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack, and preheat the oven to 425°F.
Combine the plums, lemon juice, granulated and brown sugars, potato starch, allspice, ginger, cardamom, and bitters in a large bowl and mix well.
Place the bowls on the rimmed baking sheet and distribute the plum filling evenly among them. Top with the oat crumble. Bake on the lowest rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is set and beginning to brown. Lower the oven temperature to 375°F, move the pies to the center oven rack, and continue to bake until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the juices are bubbling throughout, 30 to 35 minutes longer.
Allow the bowls to cool completely on a wire rack, 1 to 2 hours. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
The pie will keep refrigerated for 3 days or at room temperature for 2 days.
Currants are a beautiful and dainty berry that appear early in the summer. Their tart and seedy character pairs well with stone fruits—whose sweetness helps offset the sour bite of berries—and their color creates a delicate pink shade.
Makes one 10-inch pie in a tart pan
Serves 8 to 10
1½ pounds fresh white nectarines, sliced (4 cups)
1 cup fresh red currants
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons potato starch
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Dash Old Fashion bitters
Egg wash (1 large egg whisked with 1 teaspoon water and a pinch of salt)
Demerara sugar, for finishing
You can try black or champagne currants with this recipe as well.
Have ready and refrigerated one pastry-lined 10-inch tart pan (see here) and a 12-inch pastry round to top. Position the oven racks in the bottom and center positions and preheat the oven to 425°F.
Combine the fruits, lemon juice, potato starch, cinnamon, salt, and bitters in a large bowl and mix well. Place the pastry-lined tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and pour in the filling. Center and lay the top pastry round over the filling. Press the pastry edges together to seal, and trim off any excess pastry. If desired, create a decorative crosshatching effect on the top by lightly scoring lines from one side to the other with a sharp knife. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with the desired amount of demerara sugar.
Place on the lowest rack of the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is set and beginning to brown. Lower the oven temperature to 375°F, move the pie to the center oven rack, and continue to bake until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the juices are bubbling throughout, 30 to 35 minutes longer.
Allow to cool completely on a wire rack, 2 to 3 hours. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
The pie will keep refrigerated for 3 days or at room temperature for 2 days.