A divine ficus carica!

Today, I will share with you a second recipe that I made on Christmas day. Typically, my family spends our Christmas dinner with two other families, but since this year all three families had all of their family home for Christmas.. dinner would have been impossible.
Even the sounds of that sentence makes me confused.

The point I was getting at, was that I needed to make two desserts for Christmas, since there were lots of hungry folks to feed!
Or shall I say, a stuffed bunch, who always have room for dessert.

The second dessert I made, was a lovely fig crostata!
Ingredients: Figs. A multiple of figs.
A favorite amongst the keeper of the house that we were headed Christmas night.

I found this recipe in the last-ever copy of gourmet magazine which I received from my ever so thoughtful aunt and uncle.
So I decided I must make use.

and to my prevail!


Fig Crostata
Inspiration: Gourmet

For pastry dough;
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cold water

For fig filling;
12 oz soft dried figs, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange zest
1 1/2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped


1. First, we will begin with the pastry dough! Blend together flour, sugar, salt and butter in a bowl with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse lumps.

2. Add yolks, vanilla and water and gently stir with a fork until dough begins to form large clumps.

3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into four portions. With palm of your hand, smear each portion once or twice to distribute butter. Gather all dough together, then divide dough in half and form each into a disk. Chill in plastic wrap , until firm (1 hour).

4 . Now to begin the fig filling! First, simmer figs, water, orange juice, and brown sugar in medium sauce pan, covered, stirring on occasion, until figs are soft and mixture has reduced (15-20 minutes). Pulse in a food processor until finely chopped (mixture should not be smooth). Transfer to a large bowl and cool slightly. Stir in butter, eggs, vanilla, zest, and walnuts.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 F and butter 9-inch pan.

6. Roll out 1 portion of dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a 12-inch round. Peel off top sheet of parchment paper and carefully invert dough into pan. Press dough onto bottom and 1 inch up side of pan, then trim excess. Chill tart shell until ready to assemble crostata.

7. Roll out remaining dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a 12-inch round. Peel off top sheet , then cut into 10 (1-inch-wide) strips and slide onto a tray and chill for 10 minutes.

8. Finally, you may spread the fig filling in shell. Arrange 5 strips of dough 1 inch apart on filling. Arrange remaining 5 strips 1 inch apart across first strips to form a lattice. Trim edges of strips.

9. Bake until filling is slightly puffed and pastry is golden, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.

Alas, a divine ficus carica crostata!
how delightful.