LEMON-BLUEBERRY CRISP WITH PINE NUT TOPPING

This week our Food Matters Project host was Laura of Chef Laura at Home. Laura chose Mark Bittman's recipe for Lemon-Blueberry Crisp with Pine Nut Topping. This is my second attempt at making a crisp. My first crisp was a Cardamom-Scented Apple Crisp that you can find here. I was surprised at how easy a crisp is to make. This time it was just as easy and just as good. I loved the pine nut topping. It added just the right amount of savory for my taste.

You can see what the other members made here.

LEMON-BLUEBERRY CRISP WITH PINE NUT TOPPING

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan

4 to 6 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup pine nuts

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup whole wheat flour

½ teaspoon nutmeg

Pinch of salt

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square or round baking dish with a little butter. If you’re using frozen berries, set them in a colander to thaw for a bit while you prepare the crust. Put ¾ cup of the pine nuts in a food processor along with the 4 tablespoons butter and sugar; let the machine run until the nuts are finely ground and the mixture is creamy and fluffy.

2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the whole pine nuts, flour, nutmeg, and salt and stir with a fork until crumbly. (You can make the topping ahead to this point, tightly wrap, and refrigerate for up to a day or freeze for up to several weeks; thaw before proceeding.)

3. Spread the blueberries in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with the lemon zest. Crumble the topping over all and press down gently. Bake until the filling is bubbling and the crust is just starting to brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately, or at least while still warm.

Serve with a Tablespoon of good ricotta, mascarpone, ice cream or whipped cream.

Recipe by Mark Bittman