Plum Chutney Crumb Pie

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Make the crust: In a food processor, briefly pulse together flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms chickpea-size pieces (3 to 5 one-second pulses). Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 6 tablespoons, pulsing occasionally until mixture is just moist enough to hold together. Form dough into a ball, wrap with plastic and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

2. Step 2

   Make the chutney: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, brown sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick, rosemary sprig, ginger root, pepper, cardamom and salt to a simmer, stirring to help dissolve sugar. Add a third of the plums and let mixture simmer until thickened, stirring frequently, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool, then discard star anise, cinnamon stick and rosemary.

3. Step 3

   Meanwhile, toss remaining plums, granulated sugar, orange zest and tapioca in a bowl and let sit for 20 minutes. (If your plums are tart, add more sugar to taste.)

4. Step 4

   Lightly flour a work surface and rolling pin. Gently roll out dough to fit a 9-inch pie pan, dusting with flour if dough is sticking. Fold dough in half and transfer to pie pan. Carefully press crust into pan and crimp edges. Return pie to refrigerator for 20 minutes. While crust chills, heat oven to 400 degrees.

5. Step 5

   Gently press foil into pie crust and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Transfer to oven and bake for 18 minutes. Remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until crust is a light golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly.

6. Step 6

   Meanwhile, prepare the crumb topping: In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Using your hands, work in butter until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated into butter and large, marble-size clumps form when pinched. Let sit in refrigerator while assembling pie.

7. Step 7

   Mix chutney into uncooked plums. Pour filling into crust and cover with crumb topping. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and place pie on a baking sheet on middle rack in oven. Bake pie for 1 to 1½ hours or until fruit is bubbling and top is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream if you like.