apricot breakfast crisp

When I was at the grocery store a few weeks back, I spotted something I don't normally see:  a big section of fresh apricots.  We eat a fair amount of dried apricots throughout the year, and at Christmas, my Grama makes the most wonderful apricot cookies, but honestly, I'd never eaten an actual fresh apricot before.  Since I'd just finished writing this post a few days before, the first thing that popped into my head was the Apricot Breakfast Crisp from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.  I'm a complete sucker for any type of crisp so I packed a bag full of them to bring home.  Later that afternoon my house smelled amazing, and I was in apricot breakfast crisp heaven. The apricots sort of melt together in the bottom of the dish and become almost peach cobbler-y in taste and texture.  With the crunchy oatmeal topping, it's the perfect breakfast or snack or dessert.

Apricot Breakfast Crisp
by Deb Perelman from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Fruit
1 lb of apricots
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp flour (all-purpose)
Pinch of nutmeg

 Topping
4 TBSP butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup flour (all-purpose)
Pinch of salt
2 TBSP sliced almonds

For the fruit
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Using your fingers, pull the unpeeled apricots apart at their seams.  Take out the pits and tear the fruit into quarters.  Put the apricots in a baking dish and stir in the sugar, flour, and the pinch of nutmeg.  Set aside.

For the topping
Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in sugar first, then oats, then flour, then salt and almonds.  Sprinkle the topping over the apricots and bake for 30 minutes.  

You can eat this warm from the oven, at room temperature, or straight from the refrigerator.  

If you need a new recipe to spice up your breakfast menu, definitely consider giving this one a try.  I think you'll like it!