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1
Heat the oven to 350u00b0F. Add the oats to a rimmed sheet pan and toast in the oven for about 12 minutes, or until golden-brown and nutty-fragrant, rotating and tossing halfway through. Let cool completely.
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2
Raise the oven temperature to 375u00b0F. Butter a 2 1/2 quart baking dish.
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3
Prep the plums: For larger plums, cut into eighths; for smaller ones, quarters. You want big bite-sized pieces. Throw away the pits. Add the plum chunks to a large bowl, along with the brown sugar, salt, pepper, and water. Toss so all the plums are coated in sugar, then taste and adjust accordingly. Leave this mixture to hang out for a bit (letting the fruit macerate for a few minutes helps you gauge how juicy the fruit is and how much flour you need to add).
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4
Back to the streusel: Combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl. Rub the mixture between your hands until it's well combined and no brown sugar lumps remain. Add the cooled oats and toss. Add the butter cubes and cut in the butter with your fingertips, squeezing and tossing, until a clumpy, shortbread-y dough forms. (You can also incorporate the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you prefer.)
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5
Add the flour to the plum mixture and toss to combine. (The liquid should be a little thicker than heavy cream. Add more flour as needed.) Pour this into the buttered baking dish. Evenly sprinkle the streusel on top.
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6
Bake the crisp for about 50 minutes, or until the top is golden-brown and the fruit is soft, bubbly, and saucy.
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7
Cool for at least 30 minutes before eating. Serve with ice cream, creme fraiche, whipped cream, or a big pour of heavy cream.
