Ripe, soft, golden papayas are best eaten raw (the shiny dark seeds, by the way, are delicious in salad dressings), but what you want for dishes like this luscious cobbler is fruit that is still greenish yellow and slightly firm. Papayas do ripen
very quickly at room temperature, so beware, or you might end up with a soupy cobbler.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 slightly green papayas (about 11⁄2 pounds each), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1⁄4-inch slices
- 1⁄2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup half-and-half
- Juice and grated zest of 1 lime
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a shallow 2 1/2-quart baking dish with butter and set aside. In a bowl, combine the papaya, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, toss well, and set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt and stir till well blended. Add half the butter and quickly work it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips till the mixture is mealy. Gradually add the half-and-half, stirring with a wooden spoon just till a ball of dough forms. (Do not overmix.) Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, roll it out about 1/4 inch thick or till slightly smaller than the prepared baking dish. Trim the edges and crimp the dough to make an attractive border.
- Spoon the papaya mixture into the prepared dish, drizzle the lime juice and sprinkle the grated zest over the top, and dot with the remaining butter pieces. Lay the rolled-out dough over the top so the edges do not quite touch the sides of the dish, cut several steam vents in the dough, and bake till nicely browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the dish to a rack and let the cobbler cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
