Sometimes the trickiest thing about serving ripe summer fruit for dessert is resisting the urge to do too much to it.

As much as we all love fruit pies, cobblers and cakes, perfectly juicy fruit (peaches, rosy berries, taut cherries) is often better left naked and raw, maybe spooned onto a scoop of ice cream, a buttery shortcake biscuit or a slice of poundcake to add a sweet and luscious note. The trick is to find something mild and gentle enough to let the fruit star, but still be rich and special enough to seem like dessert.

This ricotta tart does just that, offering a crisp and creamy anchor for whatever seasonal fruit you’re able to procure. The tart is vaguely reminiscent of a ricotta cheesecake, but with a higher crust-to-filling ratio. The crust itself is like a shortbread cookie, with almonds for sweetness, lemon zest for fragrance and a smattering of poppy seeds to add flavor and a sandy crunch. If poppy seeds aren’t your thing, feel free to leave them out.