Under normal circumstances, Phil Kastel would be busy cooking at The Milky Way, the Mid-Wilshire restaurant opened by Leah Adler (Steven Spielberg’s mom) in 1977. Kastel, who took the helm as executive chef last year, says that though Adler died in 2017, her spirit still infuses the eatery she ran for more than 30 years. “Her presence is everywhere in that restaurant, and you really can feel her energy,” he says.
This crisp recipe from The Milky Way menu is just perfect for these times because it is so adaptable. “It’s just a real universal crisp recipe that you can make with any fruit that you have,” Kastel says. “You could even do rhubarb with it. It would be delicious.”
To get the kids into the act, skip the food processor and let them mix the topping. “The topping’s going to be the fun part for them. They’re going to want to get their hands in that bowl and just start mixing it up like a mud pie,” Kastel says.
Seasonal Fruit Crisp from The Milky Way
Serves 6-8
Topping:
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar, packed
4 ounces butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch pieces
2 ounces cream cheese, chilled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Fruit Filling:
8 cups assorted stone fruit (about 3½ pounds), sliced ½-inch thick
½ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon orange juice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, butter and cream cheese until just combined. Transfer to a mixing bowl and fold in the oats and walnuts until combined and large crumbles of topping are formed. Place in the refrigerator to firm up while preparing the fruit.
Place the fruit slices in a mixing bowl, toss with the remaining ingredients and spread the mixture evenly in a 2- to 3-quart baking dish.
Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit mixture, covering the fruit completely. Place the baking dish on sheet pan and bake for 60-75 minutes, until the crisp is bubbly in areas and the topping is golden brown.
Remove the dish from the oven and cool for 30-40 minutes to allow the sauce to continue to thicken. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Milky Way menu favorites will be available for takeout, contactless curbside pickup, and delivery via Postmates starting June 2nd, along with set family meal options for four and 25% off kosher wine and beer available to-go (with food purchase). Takeout menus can be found here. Orders can be made by pre-order via calling the restaurant, or online through the website or Postmates. The restaurant will also move to a cash-free experience starting 6/2.
