Roll a Roly-Poly

Blackberry roly-poly is a dessert I like even better than fresh strawberry shortcake.

Roly-poly is an easy-to-make shortcake dough rolled around a filling of sugared berries, then baked until crisp and golden. Served warm with heavy cream, it will delight even the pickiest eater.

The original English roly-poly was made with a crust that contained suet. Instead of being baked, the roll was tied in a cloth bag and boiled or hung over a pot of simmering water to steam. Fresh-fruit roly-polies, such as the blackberry roly-poly, weren’t common a hundred or so years ago. English cooks filled their roly-polies with jam, dried fruits or molasses.

Blackberry roly-poly makes a nice homey dessert after a supper of summer tomato soup, lettuce salad, and crackers and cheese.

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You may substitute any other juicy fruit or berry for the blackberries.

BLACKBERRY ROLY-POLY 6 cups blackberries 1 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt Shortcake Dough 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 cup heavy cream

Put berries in bowl and sprinkle sugar and salt over. Toss gently so sugar and salt are well distributed.

Roll Shortcake Dough into rectangle about 1/2-inch thick (should be approximately 14 inches long and 7 inches wide). Spread melted butter over Shortcake Dough, then cover with some of berries and roll up loosely. Place roll in center of baking dish and spoon remaining berries all around. Bake until wooden skewer inserted in center of roll comes out clean (not sticky with raw dough), about 40 minutes. Remove, serve warm with heavy cream. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

375 calories; 153 mg sodium; 65 mg cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 53 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 5.90 grams fiber.

Shortcake Dough 2 cups flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar 5 tablespoons butter 2/3 cup milk

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in bowl. Cut butter into bits and work into flour mixture with fingertips or pastry cutter until it resembles coarse meal. Slowly stir in milk, using just enough to hold dough together (it usually takes 2/3 cup of milk). Turn out onto floured board and knead 1 minute.

SUMMER TOMATO SOUP 2 1/2 pounds tomatoes 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 carrot, sliced 1 onion, chopped 1 small sweet green pepper, chopped 3 cloves garlic, peeled 2 tablespoons lemon juice Salt Freshly ground pepper

Cut tomatoes into small pieces and put into 3-quart pot. Stir in 2 cups of water. Add chopped celery, carrot, onion, green pepper and garlic cloves. Bring vegetable mixture to boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Strain soup. If serving soup hot, put liquid back into pot and keep warm. If serving soup cold, put liquid in bowl and set aside. Put vegetables through food mill or puree in blender or food processor. Stir pureed vegetables into liquid, add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or cold. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

48 calories; 63 mg sodium; trace cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 1.31 grams fiber.