This crisp, now on the menu at Gjelina, showcases strawberries at their finest. Their sweet, concentrated juice bubbles up and oozes over the sides of the baking dish.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Polenta Crisp

From Gjelina: Cooking From Venice, California (Chronicle Books)

Serves 10 to 12

TOPPING

½ cup plus 3 Tbsp [155g] unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 cup [120g] all-purpose flour

½ cup [80g] quick-cooking polenta 

⅓ cup [65g] sugar 

1 egg

½ tsp baking powder

Pinch of kosher salt 

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB FILLING

2 quarts [1.4kg] strawberries, hulled and halved

2 large stalks rhubarb, thinly sliced

½ cup [100g] sugar

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 

Juice of ½ lemon

Pinch of kosher salt

Olive oil gelato for serving 

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F [190°C].

2. To make the topping: In a food processor, combine the butter, flour, polenta, sugar, egg, baking powder, and salt. Pulse ten times or until a crumbly dough forms. Refrigerate until you are ready to use. (The topping can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

3. To make the filling: In a large bowl, gently combine the strawberries and rhubarb with the sugar, flour, lemon juice, and salt.

4. Pour the filling into a 10-by-14-inch [25-by-35.5-cm] baking dish. Crumble the topping over the top. Bake until the crisp is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 40 minutes.

5. Put a generous scoop of the warm crisp into each dessert dish and top with the gelato to serve.