This past weekend I told you about the giant Grand Canyon of a pothole that exists outside of my little house here in New Orleans. This city is notorious for its epic (sometimes oyster-filled or Mardi Gras decorated) potholes, so my cavernous situation is nothing special.
I’m happy to report that I’ve filled the hole with strawberry crumble and problem solved.
Kidding. That would be entirely ineffective.
I made this crumble-bake hybrid on Sunday afternoon, popped it in the oven and took a peek outside my front window to investigate a curious scrapping sound I heard out front. The sound was my neighbors pulling various rocks and bricks from around the street into the pothole. The rest of my afternoon was spent gathering stones and gravel with the neighbors to fill the canyon. At some point someone was arguing with a police officer, at another point we were all drinking beers, at the end, a driver drove over our work and said thank you. I took the crumble out of the oven and brought my neighbors a big portion, still warm, with lightly whipped cream. Sounds like a happy ending… though I feel like we’ll need to do the same work again next weekend. Maybe I’ll make a pie.
These are the first strawberries of my Who Ate All The Berries Season. It’s starts now and it starts strong. These strawberry gems were a gift from my new friend Martine who knew that these Louisiana local strawberries would be baked into something sweet and right. I paid her in White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, and got to hold her two month old baby… so really, it was a pretty great day. If only I could always pay people in cookies and snuggle-smell their babies.
The strawberries are hulled (that just means you cut the tops off), and sliced into quarters. Smaller strawberries can be cut in half. It’s not terribly complicated. Do what you feel.
This recipe can come together even without a recipe. Crumbles tend to be forgiving and most always delicious.
Equal parts flour and brown sugar. Oats, too… just slightly less than the flour and sugar. Butter, cold and just less than a stick. Little spoonful of ground cinnamon. Big pinch of salt.
The crumble topping is smash-mash by hand operation into a crumbly mixture, with big chunks of cold butter still present in the mixture.
Pistachios are coarsely chopped and tossed into the crumble. Pecans would be lovely too. You can also just leave out the nuts if you’re not the nutty sort.
Deep red, ripe strawberries need little else to make their beauty shine.
We’re gilding the lily just a bit.
The sliced strawberries are sprinkled with brown sugar for added sweetness and cornstarch to thicken the strawberry juice as it bakes. I also added 3 or 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice because I wanted to tart up the strawberries.
When the strawberries, sugar, and lemon have been left to sit for a few minutes, they’ll get juicy. A handful of crumble topping is stirred into the fruit for added thickness and to help meld the flavors and the rest is piled generously on top.
Baked to bubbling and extra juicy.
Served sweet and warm, with soften fruit, thicken strawberry juice, and soft whipped cream.
It’s a beautiful prelude to Summer, and a fine way to honor your neighbors.
PrintJuicy Strawberry Pistachio Bake
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Filling
- 2 1/2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced into quarters
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons lightly packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- pinch of salt
For the Pistachio Topping
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped, roasted and salted shelled pistachios
Instructions
- To make the filling, in a deep pie dish toss together sliced strawberries, lemon juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt until the strawberries are coated and the cornstarch has disappeared. Set aside.
- Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- To make the topping, in a medium bowl toss together flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter cubes and, using your fingers, break the butter into the dry ingredients creating some butter cubes that are the size of peas, others the size of oat flakes. Stir in the chopped pistachios.
- Add a handful of of crumble mixture to the strawberries and stir. Add the remaining topping atop the strawberry mixture.
- Bake for 30 minutes until strawberries are softened and mixture is bubbling.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes until warm and serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
Rachel
I have made this a couple of times and each time I think I should make it more often. So simple yet the results are exquisite. I highly recommend.
J-Mom
For me, shoveling spoonfuls of berries just seems yummy, rich. My husband and I ended up eating half of the whole thing for breakfast. Sinful.
Lauren Johnson
This dish is awesome! I made it twice this past weekend and am planning to make it again for another BBQ this week. Leftovers were great the next morning with some plain Greek yogurt.
Jonna
I made this recipe, and it was sooo good! My whole family loved it, so so yummy! Thanks a lot for sharing!
nytourism
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jencantdecide
I never thought to put strawberries and pistachios together, but I bet it would be a great combo!
Ashlyn @ Pedantic Foodie
This looks so yummy and simple! I love crumbles!
Autumn
All the best stories are “Only in New Orleans” stories.
writely2015
I had a vision of everyone sitting around the crumble-filled pothole with spoons. I could see why it wouldn’t work. I too want to be your neighbour. This looks like a yummy recipe on my list for the weekend. Any rhubarb ideas next? My plant is begging to be sacrificed for the greater good of my neighbours.
Caitlyn Walsh
oh my! This looks fantastic and so east to put together!
Emily
I keep seeing that little jar of KAF Vietnamese Cinnamon in the background of some of your recent photos. What’s the story here? I’m curious as to the flavor- does it taste different?
Eleanor SeamanBolton (@LNR)
I am drooling all over my desk just reading this . . . I have only ever tried making crumbles with apples. That may change this weekend. if I can get my hands on some nice strawberries. Or I may have to wait until the local berries are in season, which will be a while yet up here in Canada ;)
MODENOVA
This looks delicious. Thanks for sharing. Continue the great work!
Best, MODENOVA I http://www.modenova.com
Mary B
This is why I love NOLA – pot holes turned block party! It’s a neighborly place, and I miss it.
Natasha
This looks amazing! Strawberries and pistachios are my favourite!!
Vickie
looks & sounds amazing!
Martha in KS
That’s a great way to meet your new neighbors – doing community service. The strawberry-pistachio bake looks great. I’ve never baked with pistachios.
Emily
Looks absolutely delicious! and noted about the pot hole :)
therossettoblog.com
kyanabrindle
Great post and great recipe! This crumble looks so good and easy! I gotta make it.
sweetteasweetie (@SweetTSweetie)
THis looks like such a fun option for summer. Not too heavy, but nice and sweet!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Kavita Goyal
As others mentioned, I haven’t tried the combination of strawberries and pistachios. It looks so yummy.
Pamela
Life goal #1: Be your neighbor and skeeze about waiting for crumble at the pot hole.
Kristen
I’ve found that the best use for Mardi Gras beads down here is to fill pot holes. Hope those were yummy Pontchatoula strawberries, they are the sweetest ones around!
dessertfortwo
I want to be your neighbor! It sounds like a glorious day in the swamp! Love it!
Liz
Looks soooooo yummy! I love pistachios and would definitely add them to this. Can’t wait for our strawberry season to start!
Ginnis Tonik (@GinnisTonik)
I have heard so many stories like yours from people who have lived in Louisiana. It just further confirms why NOLA is my favorite city.
Erin | Well Plated
That pot hole sounds like a nightmare! At least it turned into a mini block party? As a gal who buys enough berries every spring and summer to feed a whole rainforest of birds, this recipe is perfect for me!
Karen Boehlert
I’m at work and just saw this…..must get strawberries as soon as this day is done! A thing of beauty it is!
adykay2014
I always thought strawberries were too watery for this kind of thing… Can’t wait to try it!
joythebaker
the strawberries are very watery, but the cornstarch helps thicken the juices.
The Kitten Abides
Yep, the potholes here in NOLA are epic – some of the ones out here by da Lake look like giant meringue peaks in the middle of the street (if only they were). I’ll have to try the dessert method of coping with them (I usually just use the wine method of coping). ;-)
joythebaker
solid methods. i understand.
Sally Wright
While I think this looks delicious, my favorite part of this post is your heartwarming (and humorous) story! Such a kind way to start my day.
elleboog84
That looks Amazing! And I thought I lost my car during a recent trip to Creole Creamery. I thought I fell into middle earth…
Tori//Gringalicious
Oh YEAH! I adore berries and pistachios both but I can’t think of any time I’ve had them together, WHAT? This is so happening!
Cheese and Chinese
Haven’t tried strawberries with pistachios yet, but it sounds divine!
saacdl
A crumble – cake hybrid sounds perfect. I wish school didn’t start so early so that I could have this for breakfast! Love the addition of the pistachios in there, too.