I received the paper I dreaded the most from my daughter’s school yesterday..

Was I summoned to see the principle urgently?

No

Did she break, damage or destroy any school property?

No

Is her academic level dropping?

No

Are they suspecting a disorder or a problem?

No

So what on earth did you receive?

The schedule for the final exams

In case you have missed my previous rant about exams feel free to check it out.  In case you didn’t miss it, you know perfectly well how I feel about exams and why the next two weeks will be coded red in my house! but because I don’t want to bore you, I will talk about a different red today. A juicy, delicious red. Namely strawberries.

I saw this recipe on  a spicy perspective (one of my favorite blogs to follow, wonderful recipes that are beautifully written with mouth-watering photos) a few days ago and fill instantly in love.

I already have an affair with desserts that have baked fruits in them. There is something magical that happens to fruits when they are baked. The flavors intensify, the color and the texture of the warm fruit against the crunch the topping is simply irresistible.

This amazing creation is no exception. The luscious red juicy strawberries with the citrus hint of the zest and orange juice pairs beautifully with the crunchy buttery topping.

The use of pistachios was new to me but the result was beyond yummy. It added a whole new layer of flavor that I simply loved.

I followed the recipe except for using orange juice instead of the liquor and I halved the recipe. The result is definitely a keeper.

One side note: You will enjoy this much better if you allow it to cool to room temperature.  When the crumble is hot, the strawberries will be a bet on the acidic side. On the other hand,  if you let it cool, the sweetness will come through and the sauce will thicken because of the cornstarch giving you a dessert well waiting for.

Strawberry Pistachio Crumble

Filling:
4 lbs, strawberries, stems removed and halved
Zest of 1 lemon
3 Tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup sugar
3 Tb. Cornstarch

Topping:
1 cup of self-rising flour (or All Purpose  flour + 1 tsp baking powder)
1 cup rolled oats
1 ½ cup chopped roasted pistachios
2/3 cup sugar
¾ cup butter, cut into cubes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a baking dish, mix the strawberries with the following five ingredients. Spread the berries out evenly.

Using a dough blending tool (the food processor or your hands) mix the ingredients for the topping until the butter is well combined, but the mixture is still crumbly.

Spoon the topping over the fruit and bake for 40-50 minutes—until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden.

Allow plenty of time for the crumble to cool before serving.

Serves 8.