It always makes my day when I walk into the grocery store or market and spot someone intently sniffing at fruit. This person and I have something in common. One of the surest ways to tell whether a fruit that looks appetizing will actually taste that way is by smelling it: a sweet (but not cloying) aroma usually indicates that the fruit is at or near the peak of ripeness. This works especially well with stone fruits like peaches, plums, and nectarines. You can also test by picking them up and squeezing them lightly: they should be soft but not squishy, heavy for their size, and should give slightly under your touch.

A good rule of thumb is: choose the sexy ones.

I used sweet green shiso plums and the sexiest peaches I could find to make this tart. It doesn’t require much sugar since the natural sugars in the fruit shine through so brightly during high summer. I love the spice of ginger and the way it provides a counterbalance to the sweetness of the fruit, so its flavor is assertive in the recipe below. If you prefer your ginger mild, omit or use less of the fresh stuff.

Plum, Peach and Ginger Tart

1 tart (or pie) crust (I used Mark Bittman’s Sweet Tart Crust recipe.)
Milk to brush crust (optional)

1 lb. plums (about 6 plums)
2 large ripe peaches, peeled
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 2-in piece ginger, peeled and finely minced or grated
2 ½ Tbsp. brown sugar
1 ½ Tbsp. corn starch
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into smaller bits
¼ cup sliced almonds

Prepare and prebake the crust: (These directions are paraphrased from Mark Bittman’s instant classic How to Cook Everything, which is my go-to guide for kitchen basics. Chilling the crust and prebaking it before adding the filling help prevent the crust from becoming soggy.)
1. Prepare a 9-inch tart or pie crust. Chill it for at least an hour in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Prick the pie crust in several places with a fork. Butter one side of a piece of tinfoil large enough to cover the crust, press the tinfoil onto the crust, and pour enough dried beans or rice onto the tinfoil to weigh down the bottom (about a cup should it). You can reuse the beans or rice for the same purpose later. Pricking and weights prevent the crust from bubbling up during baking.
2. Bake the empty tart or pie crust for 12 minutes at 425 F. Remove it from the oven, remove the weights and foil, and turn the oven down to 350 F. Return the crust to the oven and bake another 10 minutes or so, until the crust has turned golden brown. (If the edges of the crust seem in danger of burning (as often happens), cover them lightly with strips of tinfoil.)

While the crust is baking, prepare the tart filling.
3. Cut the plums and peeled peaches (no need to peel the plums) into 8 or so wedges each, cutting around the pits. Squeeze lemon juice over them to avoid discoloration and stir in vanilla extract and minced ginger. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, corn starch, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir well into fruit.

When the crust has finished baking:
5. Return the oven to 450 F. Pour the fruit filling into the crust and scatter the bits of butter on top of it. Brush the edges of the crust with a little milk to promote browning if necessary.
6. Bake the tart for 35-40 minutes, until fruit is tender and filling is bubbling. Strew sliced almonds over the filling 5 minutes before removing the pie from the oven. Best served warm with ice cream.