Blueberry Cobbler

My friend John Willoughby found this recipe in a southern boardinghouse nearly 20 years ago. It’s become my go-to cobbler recipe, because it’s essentially perfect. I love this with blueberries, but you can make it with any fruit you like. Cobbler dough is somewhere between a biscuit and a cookie: fluffy, a bit flaky, buttery, and at least slightly sweet. The key is not overmixing the dough; get it so that it’s just combined, barely holding together, then drop it onto the filling in mounds, leaving space for steam to escape from the cooking fruit.

4 to 6 cups blueberries or other fruit, washed and well dried, peeled and sliced as necessary

1 cup sugar, or to taste

8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits, plus some for the pan

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch salt

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Heat the oven to 375 F. Toss the fruit with half the sugar and spread it in a lightly greased 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a food processor and pulse once or twice. Add the butter and process for 10 seconds, until the mixture is well blended. By hand, beat in the egg and vanilla.
• Drop this mixture onto the fruit by tablespoonfuls; do not spread it out. Bake until golden yellow and just starting to brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

MAKES: 6 to 8 servings

TIME: About 1 hour