Tuck seasonal fruit under a blanket of spiced oats and nuts

The many fruit desserts that are almost-but-not-quite pie keep me baking all summer.

The crisps and crumbles and slumps and cobblers all are done faster than pie -- less oven-heat time! -- plus are less work. (I love to bake two-crust pies, by the way, but not in summer.)

This crumble features oats and chopped nuts spread over two of my favorites: yellow peaches and ripe blackberries. It's delicious, of course, with whipped cream or ice cream, but also excellent stirred into yogurt for a summery breakfast.

The topping can be made ahead and refrigerated, meaning the fruit can become dessert in a very short time after it comes home from the farmers market or fruit stand.

Blueberries and nectarines or apricots and cherries are two other possible combinations for this dish. Pick your favorites, but use at least 2 pounds' worth, so the crumble doesn't overwhelm the fruit.

I prepared 6 peaches and 1 cup blackberries, but next time will use more of both. A 2-1/2 quart casserole was my choice for this crumble, but it also can be baked in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet or a large deep pie pan.

Peach-blackberry crumble

Serves 8

Ingredients:

For the crumble:

1 cup oats, preferably quick oats (old-fashioned oats might be too chewy)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, oat flour or additional oats

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds

1 teaspoon baking spice blend, or create your own (example: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon allspice and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg)

3/4 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

For the fruit:

2 to 3 pounds fruit, a combination of peaches (peeled and roughly chopped) and blackberries, or fruit of your choice

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch, flour or instant tapioca

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, sugar, nuts, spices and salt.  Pour most of the melted butter (about 1/3 cup) over the mixture, stirring until thoroughly incorporated. If the mixture seems dry, stir in the rest of the butter.

Refrigerate the crumble mixture, uncovered, while the fruit is prepared. If preparing topping ahead, cover it before refrigerating.

Prepare the fruit. I prefer peeling peaches, but if they're not too fuzzy that step can be skipped.

In a large bowl (alternatively, the 2-1/2 quart casserole dish you plan to bake in), mix together the granulated sugar and the cornstarch (or flour of instant tapioca). Add the lemon juice and all the fruit, and stir to combine thoroughly. If baking in a skillet or pie pan, scrape all the fruit and juices into it.

Note if using tapioca: The mixture must sit for 15 minutes to soften the tapioca before baking.

Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the fruit.

Place the casserole dish in the oven. If using a skillet or pie pan, place it first on a sheet pan to catch any juices that might bubble up.

Bake 40-45 minutes until fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. As with a pie, the top can be covered with foil if it starts to get too brown after 30 minutes.

Allow the baked crumble to cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. It can be refrigerated but covering it for the refrigerator might soften the crumble more than desired.