MAY FIRE NECTARINE CROSTATA

Hear that? That's the sound of my silent fist pump. Summer has officially started. How do I know? Why, I'm, eating a nectarine, that's how. And juice is dripping down my chin, and it tastes wonderful, and crap it dripped onto my shirt and I can't do anything while I'm still holding this damn nectarine pit with sticky fingers.

With my fingers washed and some pie dough chilling in the fridge, I start working on ways to make the most of these gorgeous may fire yellow nectarines. They're high acid, full of that fecund, floral thing ripe nectarines do, and perfect for baking. Those mellow peaches and stone fruit with delicate flavors don't have the backbone for baking, but are brilliant unadorned. My issue is, and always is, that my eyes are much bigger than my stomach. Lots of jams, baked stuff, and pasta sauces come out of my kitchen when I go a little crazy at the farmers' market. The nectarines are fully ripe, and there's no way I'll eat all of them before they're time is up.

For 2 Crostatas

8 yellow nectarines, cut into 1/2 inch slices (or peaches, plums, apricots, any stone fruit it fine)

3 tablespoons chambord or brandy

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

6 tablespoons packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons white sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup raw almonds (yield 3/4 cup ground almonds)

For the pie dough

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons granulated white sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, chilled, and cubed

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

2 tablespoons sugar crystals (optional)

1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Topping:

4oz creme fraiche

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a food processor or quickly using your fingertips, combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter until the chunks of butter are broken down to the size of peas and the flour feels like wet sand. Add the first 1/4 cup of water and mix until the dough comes together easily. It's too dry if it immediately clumps apart. Add two tablespoons of water at a time, you can always add more water but not more flour, so careful not to add too much! Bring the dough into two balls and plop them on top of two sheets of plastic wrap. Loosely wrap up the ball and press down, smooshing the ball into a disc about an inch thick. Pop them in the fridge for 30 minutes while you busy yourself with the other stuff.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F. Slice the nectarines and toss with 3 tablespoons of the butter and brown sugar, plus the white sugar and the chambord or brandy. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a food processor, grind the almonds until the grain of rough sand. In a medium bowl, combine 3 tablespoons each of butter and brown sugar. Stir in the 3/4 cup of ground almonds and the flour. Add the eggs and the vanilla and stir until fully incorporated.

Dust your counter with flour and roll out each pie crust into a large circle about 1/4 inch thick. Place the the crostata onto a greased baking pan, pour half of the almond mixture into the middle, and spoon on half of the nectarines. Fold up the edges of the dough overlapping about an inch over the nectarines. Brush with the egg wash (the beaten egg) and sprinkle with sugar crystals. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is brown, the almond mixture is a little puffed, and the nectarines are tender. Let cool for a few moments and mix together the creme fraiche, lemon zest, and vanilla as a topping if you like. Enjoy!