Torta Sbriciolata (Fig Crumble)

 

It's prime figgy season and I found this recipe just in time to take advantage of the bounty gifted to me by my friend Madeline, whose fig tree is as productive as Santa's elves at Christmas.

The recipe comes from a cook I used to watch on the Italian TV program,  "La Prova Del Cuoco," and whom I now follow on her Instagram page -- Natalia Cattelani. The recipe was written in metric measurements, but I've converted them so it will be easy for you to follow. Start by quartering the figs and cooking them with a small bit of sugar and lemon juice. Mix the crumble while the cooked figs are cooling. I used a 9" removable bottom tart pan, lined with parchment paper, then sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. You may not need to take that extra step, but my tart pan is so old, it's starting to get rusty. I've bought a few newer ones that have a nonstick coating, but this one doesn't, so I took the precaution to avoid any sticking from fig juices that might drip out. Take half of the crumble mixture and pan it down to cover the bottom of the pan.

Then take the cooked figs and spread them over the crumble.

Spread the remaining crumbs over the top and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

After about 45 to 50 minutes, remove this beauty from the oven. Let it cool, then give it a good dusting with powdered sugar. If you have extra figs, decorate with a few.

If you haven't got any fresh figs, try using fig jam instead. And if figs aren't your thing, (WAIT, WHAT?) then use another jam that you love. 

It starts to lose some of it crunchiness a day or so after it's made due to the moisture in the fruit, but if you still have some left that long after making it, it's delicious nonetheless.

Torta Sbriciolata (Fig Crumble)

about 2 cups (500 grams) of fresh figs, cut into quarters

1 heaping tablespoon sugar (Un cucchiaio abbondante)

juice of half a lemon

1/2 cup (50 grams) almond flour

2 1/2 cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour

9 tablespoons butter (120 grams), cut into pieces

1/2 teaspoon baking powder (mezzo cucchiaino)

3/4 cup (130 grams) sugar

grated rind of one lemon

1 whole egg, plus another egg yolk

1/2 cup slivered almonds

powdered sugar and a few fresh figs for decoration

Preparation

Cook the figs with the lemon and sugar about five to ten minutes until softened.

Mix the crumble part by mixing the flours, sugar, baking powder, lemon rind together, then using your fingers blend in the butter until the butter gets somewhat incorporated. Add the whole egg and egg yolk and continue mixing with your fingers until you get large crumbles. Spread half into a prepared 9" tart pan, then layer the figs on top. Spread the other half of the crumble over the figs to cover, then sprinkle with the slivered almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.

Let it cool, then dust with powdered sugar and decorate with fresh figs.

Peach Frangipane Crostata

 

While summer peaches are still plentiful and full of flavor, put this crostata on your to-do list. This luscious dessert is from Domenica Marchetta's latest cookbook, "Everyday Italian," and was a big hit recently with my Italian chit-chat group. The pasta frolla crust is buttery and the perfect foil for the juicy peaches that get cooked to a jammy consistency. You start by simmering them for a bit with brown sugar, lemon juice and spices. Let them cool while making the rest of the crostata.

Make the frangipane (almond paste filling) and spread over the raw dough. I chilled the dough while making the filling.

Arrange the cooled peach preserves over the frangipane.

Then place strips of dough over the top. You don't have to weave the strips as I did, but I do think it looks prettier. The dough is very buttery though and may be a bit ornery to maneuver, so I find it easiest to cut the strips, then refrigerate them to stiffen a bit. It makes the weaving much easier. 

Bake as directed, then dust with some powdered sugar. You could serve with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to ramp up the goodness. I wish I had taken a photo of a slice of the crostata, but it was gobbled up so quickly, I didn't have a chance.

Check out Ciao Chow Linda on Instagram here to find out what’s cooking in my kitchen each day (and more).

Peach Frangipane Crostata

recipe from Domenica Marchetta's "Everyday Italian"

Ingredients:

For the pasta frolla

2 cups (250 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough

2/3 cup (80 g) confectioners’ sugar

1/4 tsp fine salt

Grated zest of 1 lemon or 1 small orange—or a little of both (about 1 Tbsp)

1 stick plus 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (150 grams), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

For the peach preserves

1 1/2 lb (680g) ripe peaches, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices (or 1 lb (500g) frozen sliced peaches)

1 cup (200g) light brown sugar

1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

For the frangipane

3/4 cup (100g) almond flour or almond meal

1/3 cup (66g) sugar

6 Tbsp (86g) unsalted butter at cool room temperature

1 egg

1/4 tsp pure almond extract

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/8 tsp fine salt

Directions:

1. Make the pasta frolla: Put the flour, sugar, salt, and zest in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse briefly to combine. Distribute the butter around the bowl and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add the egg and egg yolk and process until the dough begins to clump together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather it together into a ball. Form the dough into two disks, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until well chilled (overnight is fine). Remove the dough from the refrigerator 30 minutes before rolling it out.

2. Make the peach filling: Place the peaches, brown sugar, and lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat to dissolve the sugar, about 5 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook at a lively simmer, stirring often, until the peach slices are tender but still intact, and the mixture has thickened to a syrupy consistency, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg and simmer for 5 minutes more. You should be able to drag a path through the bottom of the saucepan with a silicon or wooden spoon. Scrape the peaches into a heat-proof bowl and let cool completely. (At this point the preserves can be refrigerated until ready to use.)

3. Make the frangipane: Measure the almond flour, sugar, butter, egg, almond and vanilla extracts and salt into the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Scrape into a bowl.

4. Position a rack in the middle of the oven, place a cookie sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 350° F. Remove the pasta frolla from the refrigerator. Have ready a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. 

Lightly dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll the larger disk of pasta frolla into a 12-inch (30-cm) circle, lifting and turning the dough as you roll to prevent sticking and create an even round. Gently wrap the dough around the rolling pin and unroll it over the tart pan. Gently fit the dough into the pan without stretching it. Use the palm of your hand or the rolling pin to trim off the excess. Refrigerate while you roll out the second piece of dough.

Roll the smaller piece into a 10-inch (25-cm) circle and use a fluted pastry wheel to cut it into strips, as thin or thick as you like. Alternatively, for a more traditional look, divide the disk into 10 pieces and with your hands roll out each piece into a 10-inch (25-cm) rope.

Remove the crostata base from the refrigerator and spread the frangipane over the bottom in an even layer. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the cooled peaches over the frangipane in an even layer, letting the excess syrup drip back into the bowl. Position the strips of pastry on top of the peaches in a crisscross lattice pattern. You can weave the strips if you like, but the dough is fragile and tends to tear so it’s not necessary (nor is it traditional). Press the edges of the strips into the edge of the tart shell to secure and trim off the excess.

Set the crostata on the heated baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Transfer from the baking sheet to a rack to cool completely. Remove the ring and use a large, wide angled spatula to transfer the crostata from the metal tart base to a serving plate. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if you like and serve. For an extra-lavish touch, top each serving with a scoop of vanilla gelato and drizzle with some of the reserved caramelized peach syrup.

Makes one 9-inch (23-cm) crostata, to serve 8-10

Sausage Ragù and Pasta

Once in a while, I get a craving for pasta in tomato sauce but don't have time or desire to make a long-simmering two or three hour ragù with meatballs, braciole and more. If you've got some Italian sausage and a can of tomatoes (I love those small cherry tomatoes in sauce), you're on your way to a delicious meal in a half hour. If you can find these small gnocchetti, or Sardinian maloreddus, it makes a perfect pairing. Otherwise, look for a small pasta like tiny shells or even rotini. It was a big hit with my husband, who even asked for the recipe so he could make it for his "Jersey Boys" -- childhood friends who visit from around the globe once a year and spend a week with him at the shore house.

Check out Ciao Chow Linda on Instagram here to find out what’s cooking in my kitchen each day (and more).

Sausage Ragù and Pasta 

(serves 2)

2 links of Italian sausage (casings removed and broken into bits)

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup finely minced onion

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 16-ounce can cherry tomatoes in puree, or 1 can of tomato puree

1/4 cup dry red or white wine 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dry basil flakes

a shake of red pepper flakes

1/2 pound small shaped pasta (photo shows Sardinian gnochetti)

freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese to sprinkle on top

Remove the casings from the sausage, break it into chunks and place it in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Cook through and remove from pan. Add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil, and the onion. Sauté until soft, then add the garlic and cook until softened. Add the cherry tomatoes (I like to puree them first, right in the can with a stick blender, but if you like a chunky sauce, leave as is), the wine and the seasonings. Return the cooked sausage bits to the sauce. Simmer everything together for a half hour, then boil the pasta and serve with the sauce.

Sprinkle parmesan or pecorino on the pasta.

No-Churn Pistachio Ice Cream

If you love pistachios and you love ice cream, have I got a recipe for you! It's actually not my recipe, but it comes from the website Brunch & Batter. It contains only four ingredients (three in my rendering because I didn't add more raw pistachios at the end) and you don't need an ice cream machine. Just whip the heavy cream, then add a can of condensed milk and the pistachio cream or pesto then spread it in a loaf pan and place it in the freezer. That's it! 

I didn't need to use quite so much pistachio cream or paste, but since I had these three jars I had brought back from my last trip to Italy that would be expiring soon, I decided to add them all. Don't be concerned about using something called "pesto" in a dessert. Even if the pesto contains olive oil, salt and pepper, the condensed milk really sweetens the recipe. Moreover, how many of you love salted caramel, or salted chocolate? This is the same idea. Actually, the best pistachio gelato I've ever eaten is salted pistachio gelato from a gelateria in Rome called Otaleg (gelato spelled backwards).

Warning however, this ice cream is VERY rich, so you'll need only one scoop to feel sated. However, for a real Lucullan indulgence, drizzle a little chocolate sauce on top.

Check out Ciao Chow Linda on Instagram here to find out what’s cooking in my kitchen each day (and more).

No-Churn Pistachio Ice Cream

From the website: Brunch & Batter

Ingredients:

2 cups (16 ounces, 493 grams) heavy cream cold

1 14 ounce can (396 grams) sweetened condensed milk

¾ cup (220 grams) pistachio paste or butter (I used a total of 320 grams -- a combination of pistachio pesto and pistachio cream just because I had several jars that would be expiring soon. You don't need to add that much.)

⅓ cup (36 grams) chopped pistachios raw, shelled (My pistachio pesto had small pieces of pistachio in it, so I didn't add this)

Directions:

In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or a handheld mixer), beat the heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form (peaks hold their shape when the beater is lifted).

Add the condensed milk, and beat on medium- high until combined.

Add the pistachio paste and beat on low speed until fully combined.

Fold in the chopped pistachios (reserve some for the top). Pour into a 9x5 loaf pan or another 8-cup container. Cover with plastic wrap or lid and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight. Serve immediately from the freezer.

Three Days In The Life Of Four Chicken Breasts

In an attempt to eat more lean protein and save a little time with dinner prep (and keep the house a little cooler on these hot summer days), I grilled a few boneless, skinless chicken breasts -- enough for several meals for the two of us. It's a time saver and if you get a little creative, you can enjoy them in many different ways with very little fuss. My daughter made something similar when I last visited her in London earlier this year, serving them in taco shells with all the trimmings. By themselves, chicken breasts can be rather boring, especially if they're not seasoned properly. To make them more interesting, I used a dry rub of my homemade seasoned salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder and herbs de Provence. Feel free to use whatever floats your boat -- oregano, thyme, and/or zatar would work too. I let them sit in the refrigerator like that for about an hour, then squeezed some fresh lemon juice over them and let them sit another 15 minutes. Before grilling, I drizzled with a bit of olive oil to keep from sticking to the grill. They're easy to overcook, leaving them dry and hard, so be sure to have the grill heated for a while to make sure it's hot enough to get a sear on the chicken breasts quickly. Keep an eye on them and turn them after about seven or eight minutes. They should only take about 15 minutes total to cook, less if they're not as thick as mine were. You can serve them as is, or top with some chopped tomatoes or mango salsa (mince some mango, add some green pepper, tomato, cilantro and a squirt of lime)

 But there was still plenty leftover and the weather was hot, so the next day, I sliced some of the chicken and served it cold over an abundant salad, with potato salad, tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans, shown in the first photo.

 We didn't want chicken three nights in a row, and kept the leftover breast in the refrigerator for another day. The following night, for the third iteration, I sliced some onions and a red pepper in olive oil and sauteèd them until cooked through, then added the rest of the grilled and sliced chicken, seasoning with salt, pepper and parsley.

At this point, you could eat as is, or with rice or noodles, but I was feeling creative and wanted to make some pita bread to serve with the chicken mixture. The pita were fun to make and seeing them puff up in the oven was gratifying, although I have to admit, most of them didn't puff up so dramatically as this one.

The majority of them looked like this, which was fine, because if you had tried to place the chicken, peppers and onions inside one that had a "pocket," it would have been too thin to hold all the juices.

The pita folds on itself to make just the right "container" for a great sandwich lunch or dinner. Add some lettuce and salsa for more interest. We liked the chicken trifecta well enough that  I'm planning to make it part of my repertoire -- not on a weekly basis perhaps, but a couple of times a month. 

Check out Ciao Chow Linda on Instagram here to find out what’s cooking in my kitchen each day (and more).

For the pita bread, I used this recipe I found on The Mediterranean Dish:

• Ingredients:
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• ½ tsp sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided 
• 1 to 2 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil  (more for the bowl)

1. Make sponge: In a large mixing bowl add the lukewarm water and stir in yeast and sugar until dissolved. Add 1/2 cup flour and whisk together. Place the mixing bowl in a warm place, uncovered to form a lose sponge. Give it 15 minutes or so, the mixture should bubble.
2. Form the pita dough: Now add salt, olive oil and almost all the remaining flour (keep about 1/2 cup of the flour for dusting later). Stir until mixture forms a shaggy mass (at this point, the dough has little to no gluten development and just looks like a sticky mess and you can easily pull bits off). Dust with a little flour, then knead the mixture inside the bowl for about a minute to incorporate any stray bits.
3. Knead the dough: Dust a clean working surface with just a little bit of flour. Knead lightly for a couple minutes or so until smooth. Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then knead again for a couple more minutes. The dough should be a little bit moist, you can help it with a little dusting of flour, but be careful not to add too much flour.
4. Let the dough rise. Clean the mixing bowl and coat it lightly with extra virgin olive oil and put the dough back in the bowl. Turn the dough a couple times in the bowl to coat with the olive oil. Cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap then lay a kitchen towel over. Put the bowl in a warm place. Leave it alone for 1 hour or until the dough rises to double its size.
5. Divide the dough. Deflate the dough and place it on a clean work surface. Divide the dough into 7 to 8 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Cover with a towel and leave them for 10 minutes or so to rest.
6. Shape the pitas. Using a floured rolling pin, roll one of the pieces into a circle that's 8-9 inches wide and about a quarter inch thick. It helps to lift and turn the dough frequently as you roll so that dough doesn't stick to your counter too much. (If dough starts to stick, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour). If the dough starts to spring back, set it aside to rest for a few minutes, then continue rolling. Repeat with the other pieces of dough. (Once you get going, you can be cooking one pita while rolling another, if you like). You have two options for baking the pita from here.
7. To bake pita in the oven: Heat the oven to 475 degrees F and place a heavy-duty baking pan or large cast iron skillet on the middle rack to heat. Working in batches, place the rolled-out pitas directly on the hot baking baking sheet (I was only able to fit 2 at a time). Bake for 2 minutes on one side, and then, using a pair of tongs, carefully turn pita over to bake for 1 minute on the other side.  The pita will puff nicely and should be ready. Remove from the oven and cover the baked pitas with a clean towel while you work on the rest of the pitas.
8. To cook pita on stovetop: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. (Test by adding a couple drops of water to the skillet, the skillet is ready when the beads of water sizzle immediately). Drizzle a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil and wipe off any excess. Working with one pita at a time, lay a rolled-out pita on the skillet and bake for 30 seconds, until bubbles start to form. Using a spatula, flip the pita over and cook for 1-2 minutes on  the other side, until large toasted spots appear on the underside. Flip again and cook another 1-2 minutes to toast the other side. The pita is ready when it puffs up forming a pocket (sometimes, with this method, the pita may not puff or may only form a small pocket. Try pressing the surface of the pita gently with a clean towel). Keep baked pita covered with a clean towel while you work on the rest.

Grandma Pearl Bennett's Mountain Pie

This may not be the most photogenic dessert you've ever seen, but once you scoop a serving from the cast iron pan and taste it, you'll know why this pan of goodness was gone in a flash. The caramelized edges, mixed with the pudding-like center, will have you drooling, especially if you top it with vanilla ice cream.

It's a recipe from my friend Emily, who prepared this dessert as part of a multi-course meal that was the prize awarded at a silent auction benefit for Camp Mason, where Emily's husband Tom serves on the board. Camp Mason is a 460 acre camp and outdoor facility for young people near the Delaware Water Gap and was founded in 1900, making it the third oldest youth camp in the U.S. 

Lucky for my husband and me that our friend Alex was the highest bidder for this delectable prize and that he invited us to join him and his partner Jesse.

The dinner was a Lucullan feast prepared by Emily on their beautiful 50 acre Van Dyke farm in Hopewell, N.J., where they own not only a beautiful house and separate studio, but also a barn that they have transformed into a magical setting for special dinners and parties. 

Before the dinner began, Tom gave us a tour of his organic garden, where he's growing all sorts of vegetables and herbs.

I was flabbergasted to see he was growing agretti, a vegetable I adore and have seen only in Italy. They look similar to chives, but are thicker, and and to me taste similar to lemony Swiss chard.  

 On the property is a corn crib that's more than 100 years old and still in use, but not for corn,

It's where Tom stores the 13 varieties of garlic, 5 varieties of shallots, and another 4 or 5 varieties of onions that he harvests to enjoy all year long.

We kicked off the festivities in the barn with a glass of prosecco:

Then moved to the "dogwood room" -- a leafy canopy of trees where we enjoyed the hors d'ouevres:

Emily had prepared three:

-Spanakopita, made with spinach and mustard greens from the garden and served with a tzatziki sauce:

-Roasted garlic smeared on toasted pita wedges and served with pear jam.

-Caviar and creme fraîche with preserved lemon served in crispy wafer shells.

Back to the barn for the other courses, with a little diversion to hammer out a beat or two on the drums:

Emily appeared with a tray of cold soup, much appreciated on a day when the temperature was in the 90s -- and what a delicious soup it was -- a creamy and mild garlic scape soup, made creamy with potatoes, not cream. Edible nasturtium flowers (also from the garden) decorated the bowls, and piquant papadum crisps were served alongside the soup. Our taste buds were on overdrive.

Next came a gleaming copper pot filled with my favorite course of the night -- lemon fettuccine with agretti, feta cheese and a scattering of pistachios. It made me want to try growing agretti again, something I did years ago to mixed success.

The main course was a riff on salade niçoise - using both jarred (Tonino brand) and fresh tuna, but also boosted with shrimp skewers and cups filled with crab cocktail. The traditional eggs and tomato, along with asparagus and lettuces that also came from their garden, along with miniscule yellow and red pickled peppers, contributed a delicious and colorful touch to the platter.

At this point, we took a pause before dessert and headed up to the treehouse Tom and Emily had built overlooking the garden, the house and the countryside. It was a perfect place to enjoy the sunset, even if I felt a little skittish climbing up with prosecco in hand and wearing a long dress hiked up above my knees. Here's Emily in the corner of her little aerie (where she and Tom sometimes bravely camp out and sleep for the night).

The view as the sun was setting was transcendent from 15 feet off the ground:

But dessert awaited and we descended the treehouse with eager anticipation for the night's sweet ending -- a recipe from Emily's grandmother made with blueberries Tom had picked from the garden earlier in the day. We were all savoring every last morsel, and some of us (not naming names) even went back for seconds.

Nearly five hours later, it was time to say goodnight and head home. We left with full bellies and wonderful memories of a delicious evening spent with good friends and food grown with care and prepared with love. It's an evening we'll be reliving over and over.  

Could it have been any more perfect? Yes, it could have -- and was -- as we were regaled with a full "strawberry moon" on the longest day of the year, completing an already dreamy, delicious evening.

And now you too can also enjoy a little of the magic we felt and tasted with Emily's family recipe for Blueberry Mountain Pie:

Check out Ciao Chow Linda on Instagram here to find out what’s cooking in my kitchen each day (and more).

Grandma Pearl Bennett's Mountain Pie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks butter

1 1/2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups fruit - Best fruits to use are strawberry, raspberry or fresh peaches (free-stone Georgia peaches if you can find them). Blueberries must be tempered with a dose of lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice. 

Directions:

Melt the butter in a 10" cast iron pan (cast iron pan is essential in this recipe). The butter should brown slightly around the edges. Set aside.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Mix in two cups of milk and stir until it looks like semi-smooth pancake batter. Carefully pour batter directly into the center of the butter pan. DO NOT STIR.

Add 1 1/2 cups of fruit into the center of the batter. DO NOT MIX.

Bake in 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes. The edges should be caramelized and the center set to pudding texture.

To serve - Use a spoon to scoop a serving from the outside toward the middle and place a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Blueberry Dutch Baby

 

Father's Day is just around the corner and it's a perfect time to treat the most important guy in your life to a special breakfast. This blueberry Dutch baby fits the bill perfectly. It's easy to throw together, makes a dramatic presentation and is delicious too.  

You need to make it in a cast iron skillet that's heated to 425 degrees. The batter is similar to making a traditional pancake batter and is dumped all at once into the pan, over the blueberries and butter. To get the highest puff, have the eggs and other ingredients at room temperature.

Serve with maple syrup. Happy Father's Day!

Check out Ciao Chow Linda on Instagram here to find out what’s cooking in my kitchen each day (and more).

Blueberry Dutch Pancake

recipe from "Just A Little Bit of Bacon"

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tbsp maple syrup, or light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, sliced
• 3/4 cup blueberries
• confectioners' sugar

Instructions

• In a bowl whisk together the whole milk, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Add the flour and salt and whisk in until there is no dry flour. Set aside.
• Heat the oven to 425F. Place a 12 inch cast iron skillet in the oven as it heats.
• Add the butter and blueberries to the skillet and put it back in the oven for 1-2 minutes, or until the butter is fully melted. Swirl the skillet to make sure the whole bottom is coated with butter.
• Pour the batter into the skillet and give it a stir to distribute the berries.
• Bake the Dutch baby for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and dust with confectioners' sugar. Other toppings can include blueberry (or other) jam, whipped cream, lemon juice, vanilla Greek yogurt, and ice cream.

Notes

• Make ahead: You can make the batter the night before and store it in the refrigerator. Allow it to come to room temperature before pouring it in the skillet.
• Skillet size: If you have a 10 inch skillet, reduce the amounts by about 1/3. So it would be 2 eggs, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup milk for the base.
• Cooking tip: For very even cooking, I like to heat the oven and skillet for about 30 minutes before starting.