Plum Betty, humble yet deeply satisfying

— The combination of cooked fruit layered with breadcrumbs or cubes, which defines the humble betty, doesn’t sound like much. But something special happens when it’s all baked together and the bread gets soft and gooey with the juices of the fruit.

In this plum betty, chopped walnuts add a crunchy touch mixed in with the bread. Pecans or almonds are also tasty options.

To make this recipe ahead of time, store the topping in an airtight container for up to three days.

PLUM BETTY Serves 6 Prep time: 30 minutes Total time: 2 hours Filling: 6 cups ripe but firm plums (1/2-inch slices), peeled if desired, or 6 cups pitted sour cherries, fresh or frozen 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar 1 tablespoon orange juice Topping: 2 cups whole-grain fresh breadcrumbs (see tip) 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 2 tablespoons butter, melted Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch shallow glass orceramic baking dish with cooking spray.

To prepare filling: Toss plums (or cherries) with 1/3 cup brown sugar and orange juice in a medium bowl.

(If using frozen fruit, let stand for about 30 minutes, stirringoccasionally, to thaw the fruit before transferring to the baking dish.)

To prepare topping: Toss breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl until blended.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the toppingin the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the fruit. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the topping over the fruit; then top with the remaining fruit. Bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss the remaining topping with walnuts and butter until combined.

After 30 minutes, remove the betty from the oven and sprinkle the breadcrumb-walnut mixture on top. Return to the oven and bake until the fruit is bubbly and the crumbs are browned, 30 to 40 minutes more.

Let cool for about 20 minutes before serving.

Recipe tip: To make your own fresh breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs.

Recipe nutrition per serving: 301 calories; 11 grams fat (3 grams saturated, 2 grams monounsaturated); 10 milligrams cholesterol; 49 grams carbohydrate; 22 grams added sugars; 5 grams protein; 4 grams fiber; 89 milligrams sodium; and 382 milligrams potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C, 29 percent daily value.

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 fruit, 1 carbohydrate (other) and 2 fat.

EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life: online at www.eatingwell.com.

Tri-Lakes, Pages 53 on 07/26/2012

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