At the risk of repeating myself: summer fruit torte

I've posted this recipe before. With some remarks that, as I reread them, remain valid. So, if you want to see the original, go and look at Annalena's post of September 4, 2008.

This is one of those recipes that not only deserve, but NEED to belong in any cook's repertoire. Even if you don't consider yourself a cook, you NEED to be able to make this. I'm serious, you really, REALLY do, because at some point in your life, you are going to need or want to make a dessert. And you can make this without equipment, beyond a cake pan. The size is almost irrelevant. The ingredients are those you will have around the house. Flour. Butter. Eggs. Sugar. Fruit. AND THAT'S IT.

Still nervous about it? Ragazzi, I have made this cake with confirmed, non-cooks. Ask my friend Bobby. He made it. In fact, he made TWO. And when I see him again, even though it's winter, he's gonna make it again. And he may very well be making THREE.

I just made two of these for a weekend away, and then made another one for the dinner at which I made the pasta cacio e pepe. Many farmers were very happy the next day. So, make this. Make some people happy.

Here's what you need. A stick of unsalted butter, very soft. In 2008, I suggested leaving it out overnight. You could also pull it out of the fridge in the morning and leave it for the evening. Now, you need 3/4 cup of sugar. Also, a scant cup of flour. Don't be over generous here. And a tablespoon - yup a tablespoon - of baking powder. Put it in with the flour. And two large eggs. We'll get to the fruit in a minute.

Ready? Put the stick of butter in a big bowl, and then butter an 8 or 9 ( or even 10) inch cake pan, with the paper that wrapped the butter. Preheat your oven to 350.

Take a big spoon to the butter, and stir it until it's nice and soft, and looking like quite a mess. Now, pour in the sugar, and incorporate it. Next, the eggs, one at a time. You'll have a wet, greasy mess. GOOD. (I've known a few wet, greasy messes in my life, but that's not for this blog, kids). Stir in the flour/baking powder mixture, just until you don't see loose flour.

Think you can handle that? Now, pour it out into that baking pan, and spread it out, but don't get overly compulsive about it.

Now... the fruit. The first time this recipe was presented, it called for 12 Italian prune plums, cut in half. By all means, do that. BUT... THIS IS YOUR CAKE. BE CREATIVE. And try to use two different ones. This past weekend, I made one with peaches and blueberries, and one with pears and blackberries. I liked the second one better, but they were both good. If you use a stone fruit, like peaches, nectarines, plums, or a fruit like pears or apples, cut the fruit into slices. If you are bothered by the peel on apples, peel them first. Otherwise, don't bother. Put the fruit slices in however you like. Then, add your second fruit. Berries are good here, as you can tell. So are cranberries with apples or pears. So are raisins for that matter, or dried cranberries, or dried cherries. Don't get too nuts: two pears/peaches/plums/nectarines, or one large apple, are enough of the one, and the berries just fill in spaces.

Put this in your oven for 45 minutes. You'll have something that is somewhere in between a cake and a very thick fruit pancake, but more importantly, you'll have something that does in fact transcend its ingredients. You will be a hero. You will be loved. And you will make a whole cake for yourself sometime after that (NOT that I speak from experience....).

As I said in 2008, don't refrigerate this cake, but IF by some chance there is some left after 3 days, toss it. This keeps well, for about 72 hours. Then it gets NASTEEE.

Go for it, gang. You'll thank me for this. Trust me...