It’s September, people! It’s fig season here in the Northern Hemisphere.
Buy figs now while you can during their excruciatingly short season from August through early October.
Figs, a member of the mulberry family, are among the oldest fruits consumed by humans. That said, figs are not actually fruits. They are syconiums–sac extensions of the branches of fig trees. The sacs are filled with flowers. Each flower produces a tiny fruit and a seed inside the sac. (Do I detect snoring out there? I thought this bit of fig information was pretty damn interesting. Then again, I’ve been pretty much in lockdown since March.)
And history! Figs have quite a history.
Archaeologists have found evidence of fig trees at ancient neolithic sites dating back to 5000 B.C.
Renaissance artists like Caravaggio (below) captured both figs’ beauty and the spirit of Renaissance indulgence in their still life paintings.
Franciscan missionaries introduced fig cultivation to California in 1769. The self-pollinating mission figs have anchored California’s love affair with figs ever since!
Here is a savory-sweet tart recipe that can be served as an entree or as a dessert. (I enjoyed mine with a green salad dressed in a vinaigrette.) The figs give the tart a rich sweetness. The gorgonzola cheese adds a savory hint of bitterness on your back palate although you can sub in goat cheese for a milder savory flavor. The generous drizzle of honey that you add just before serving makes this tart swoon worthy.
Enjoy this one!
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 1/4 C. unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 C. cornmeal
- 1/4 t. sea salt
- 1/4 t. freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter (cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
- 1/4 to 1/3 C. ice water
- 1 pound mission figs (sliced into quarters)
- 1/4 pound gorgonzola or goat cheese or a combination (mashed)
- 2 t. fresh oregano leaves (plus a sprig for the garnish)
- 2 T. honey (plus more for garnish)
- 2 T. olive oil
- Cracked black pepper
- 1 egg and a bit of water for egg wash
Instructions
- Make the tart crust. Add flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse once or twice until the ingredients are mixed. Add the butter cubes and pulse until the butter cubes are the size of large peas. Sprinkle ice water into the mixture one tablespoon at a time, pulsing with each water addition. When large clumps of dough form and the dough holds together, transfer the dough from the processor bowl to a lightly-floured surface. Shape the dough into a ball and then into a 6-inch wide disk. Refrigerate the disk for at least 30 minutes before you roll it into a crust.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and place the rack on the lower third of the oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone mat.
- Prepare the filling while your dough chills and the oven heats. Slice figs into quarters. Chop oregano. Put honey, olive oil, and pepper into a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Spread flour on your working surface. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and roll it out into a 12-14 inch wide and 1/8-1/4 inch thick round. As you are rolling the dough, turn it and flip it being sure to keep the surface on which you are rolling the dough well floured so that your dough won't stick. If you are preparing this on a hot day and your dough gets too warm and soft, put it into the refrigerator for a few minutes and then resume rolling. When you have rolled the dough into the correct size, roll it around your rolling pin and transfer the dough to the prepared parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the dough for about 10-15 minutes before proceeding.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and spread (or sprinkle) cheese evenly across the bottom of the crust. Arrange the fig quarters in concentric circles on top of the cheese, leaving a 1 1/2 inch border empty all around the crust. (The number of figs you will use will, of course, vary depending upon the size of the figs. You may have more fig quarters than you can use on the tart.) Sprinkle the chopped oregano leaves across the top of the tart. Drizzle the olive oil and honey mixture over the top of the tart. Brush the edges of the tart dough with the egg wash. Fold the border of the crust up around the figs. Leave the center open. Bake in a 400 degree F. oven for 40-45 minutes until the crust is a light golden brown. Check the tart several times while cooking it to see if the crust is browning evenly. (Use a spatula to lift up the edges of the tart to inspect its bottom for browning.)
- When your tart is properly baked, remove it from the oven. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool for about 15 minutes. Drizzle more honey over the top of the tart before serving. Garnish with a sprig of fresh oregano.
- (Cook's Note: The tart can be reheated in a 350 degree F. oven for about 5 minutes to re-crisp the crust.)
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