This delicious hybrid, the specialty of my dear friend Jean Turpen, is one of those desserts that American bakers love -- it is relatively easy, makes enough for a crowd, and is utterly irresistible. Baked in a jelly-roll pan, it's a cross between a cobbler, a pie, and a big cookie. The pie can be made with just about any seasonal fruit -- peaches, nectarines, and Italian purple plums are all excellent substitutes for the apples -- adjusting the amount of sugar as needed. A layer of crushed cornflakes on the bottom crust soaks up and thickens the fruit juices so the consistency is always perfect.
Cooking watery or fibrous root vegetables like celery roots, turnips, carrots, rutabagas, and beets with a little white rice ensures that they will be exceptionally creamy and have a very pure flavor.
A bite of aged goat cheese, then a fresh bite of tart-sweet greens punctuated with the crunch of fresh apple—this is a perfect marriage.