This Italian specialty begins with a food-processor dough, rolled out on a board and filled with berries. To enclose them, lift the edges up and over the filling, letting the pastry fall in an uneven pleated pattern. Not a classic American pie, but it has all the elements and it's much easier.

Tasters said this: "More a scone filled with fruit than a pie." "Pass the whipped cream. My hands-down fave." "Has a flavor that might work better with a more neutral fruit pie, like apple; seems to be trying to be a pastry and a pie crust at the same time." "This was not pie. It was good, though." "So what if it's not really a pie? The crust seemed fuller (as well as better). Clearly the best."

Kitchen notes: the pastry was the best of the lot to work with: golden, substantial, nice feel in your hands. The lazy fold along the edges is terrific. You have all the goodness of a pie and half the work.

Recipe