[Apricot and Melon Crumble with Pine Nuts]
My partner Maxence and I were recently invited to our friends Peggy and Julien’s apartment for dinner. They used to live just three blocks away, but after moving they’re now about six blocks further, which somehow makes visiting them feel like a proper neighborhood outing. Although Peggy is an excellent cook, she wasn’t the one preparing that evening’s meal: Manu, another food enthusiast and a devoted reader of this blog who will soon be moving to Sarajevo, treated us to a Yugoslavian dinner.
Yugoslavian cuisine blends Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences. That night we enjoyed a spread of red pepper dip, flavorful olives, a tomato-and-cheese salad (similar to Greek salads but with local Yugoslavian cheese), small cevapcici sausages and a remarkable burek—a spinach-and-cheese pie made from layers of crisp, golden filo.
I volunteered to bring dessert, not a Balkan specialty but something fruity to suit the warm weather. With apricots and melons soon to disappear from the markets, I combined them in this crumble as a little farewell to both the season and to Manu.
This crumble looks inviting with its glowing orange fruit and golden topping. Cooked melon gives an unexpectedly pleasant, mellow depth that balances the sweet-tart apricots. Pine nuts, less common in desserts, contribute a rich, buttery note, while rolled oats and a mix of flours add texture and a wholesome flavor. The result is a subtly flavored dessert that also works well for brunch.
Before Manu leaves he’s promised to show me where to find Yugoslavian groceries in Paris and to share a few recipes. I hope he does.
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