Nectarine Streusel Tart

There's nothing I love more than a summer pie. Sweet, succulent fruit, encased in flaky pastry – it perfectly epitomizes the late summer months. But pie can be an arduous task, and on hot summer days do not let themselves to toiling in the kitchen.

So this version – with a little work, sure – has an easier tart crust, and a simple streusel topping – no need to roll out another top crust. I always use nectarines because I don't want the extra effort of peeling of the skin of peaches. You could also throw in some berries or other stone fruits like plums for some variety.

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Recipe:
Crust:
21⁄2 cups (300 g) flour
1 cup (200 g) butter or margarine
1⁄2 cup (100 g) sugar
1 large egg

Filling:
4-5 medium nectarines
1/3-1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Streusel:
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the crust: Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat to combine, then add the flour and mix until no streaks remain. Gather the dough together into one cohesive ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Dice the nectarines into small cubes. Toss with 1/3 cup sugar and the cinnamon and let sit for 10 minutes. Taste a piece or two of fruit and add sugar to taste.

Remove the dough from the fridge, and roll out on a well-floured surface (continuously reflouring during rolling) until about 1⁄2 centimeter thick. Use to cover either a large tart pan or smaller ones. For a large one, roll the dough to a diameter 2" larger than the pan, gently drape the dough over the dish, fit the dough in to the corners then trim the edges. For little pans, use a round cutter that is big enough to cover the bottom and sides of your tart pans, cut as many circles as possible from the dough and fit in to the molds, rerolling as necessary.
Place all the shells in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.

For the streusel, melt the butter, then add the flour, sugars, salt and cinnamon and stir with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.

Spread the fruit in an even, single layer on the bottom of the shell. Using your fingers to break up the clumps, sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the fruit.

Bake on 350 F for 30-45 minutes until the crust is lightly browned on the edges.