Peach Ginger Crisp

• Servings: 6 to 8.

This simple crisp is best made with local, ripe peaches.  I prefer it with yellow peaches because they have a stronger flavor than the pale, sweet white ones.  As with any fruit dessert, this crisp will taste only as good as the peaches you make it with so buy the best you can find.

If it's mid-winter and you have a peach craving, you could make this with frozen ones.  But the fact is that you'd be best off just waiting for summer.

Ingredients

• 6 cups peaches, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 cup sugar, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons extra
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated and gently packed into the spoon so to get a full teaspoon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
2. Have ready an 8-inch cake pan or 8 to 10-inch ceramic baking dish. If you use a cake pan, lightly grease it with butter. A ceramic baking dish won't need to be greased.
3. Prepare the peaches by peeling and slicing them into 1 to 2-inch pieces. Toss them with one tablespoon flour and one tablespoon sugar. If the peaches are not very sweet, you can add a second tablespoon of sugar.
4. Arrange the peaches in the baking dish to fill the dish almost up to the edge. The pieces will reduce a little when they bake and also will throw off juice. But be sure to leave enough room for the topping.
5. Process the rest of the flour, sugar, ground ginger, freshly grated ginger, and salt in a food processor (use the steel blade) to combine.
6. Add the pieces of cold butter and using about 4 or 5 quick pulses, combine until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
7. Press the topping mixture evenly over the baking dish filled with peaches, making sure all of the surface is covered, including the edges.
8. Bake about 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the peaches are tender and bubbling.

Tip:  As the peaches cook they get juicier and begin to bubble and you may get a spill in your oven.  To protect against this, place a cookie sheet or sheet pan on the rack below your baking dish to catch any mishaps.

Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.  Or plain at room temperature.  Leftovers are excellent for breakfast.