It’s no coincidence that “fico” in Italian means both “fig” and “cool.” Figs are the coolest kids on the block–and have been since 11,000 years ago, when they were the first crop to be cultivated by humans. Not to mention domestic lore credits them with the survival of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome (the she-wolf nursed the twins under a sacred “Ficus Ruminalis”), and the fruit is used as a euphemism for vagina across the country.
Here in Italy, figs are harvested from the beginning of June until the end of October, depending on the variety and the location, though the best figs are the ones that are ripe towards the end of the summer. Although these jammy globes are most abundant in the south–in regions like Calabria and Sicily–they can also be found in select places in northern Italy. As such, it’s common to find them in preparations around the nation: wrapped in prosciutto crudo, stuffed with pecorino, jammed and spread thickly over a shortbread crust for a crostata. (Or, if you find a tree yourself, we highly recommend eating the fruit straight off the bough.)
Here, our seven favorite ways to pair the summer fruit!
HOW TO PAIR FIGS LIKE AN ITALIAN
Pizza Prosciutto e Fichi
Gather ripe figs, thinly sliced prosciutto crudo (Parma or San Daniele both work great), and a warm piece of piazza bianca in Rome, schiacciata in Florence, or focaccia in Liguria.
Peel the figs, slice the bread in two, and fill it with the figs and sliced prosciutto. For a great aperitivo-time snack, cut into small squares.
Ricotta e Fichi Toast
Toast a few slices of a thick, crusty bread. Cut the figs into quarters. Spoon the fresh ricotta on the toast and top with figs. Finish with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Fichi e Prosciutto
One of the most classic, simple antipasti is made by rolling peeled figs into slices of prosciutto crudo.
Insalata di Fichi
A perfect, fresh summer salad is made with arugula, mesclun, fresh figs, and walnuts. Dress with a drizzle of olive oil, balsamic vinegar (extra delicious if you use Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena), and a pinch of salt.
Fichi e Pecorino
Slice some figs in half and place a small chunk of pecorino romano into the curved center. Drizzle the halves with honey (any flavor or kind works great, as long as it’s nice and gooey). Let come to room temperature before enjoying as an aperitivo snack or easy antipasto.
Fichi e Zabaione
Make a simple, custardy zabaione following our in-house recipe. Divide into portions and top with fresh slices of figs.
Crostata Ricotta e Fichi
This simple, typical dessert calls for a shortbread crust and a ricotta, nut, and fresh fig (or fig jam) stuffing.
For the crust: Sift 300g of 00 flour into a bowl with zest of one lemon, 100 g of sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 110 g of softened butter. Mix, and then add two eggs, one at a time. Work into a dough and form a ball. Wrap in plastic and let sit for one hour.
For the filling: Whisk together 250 g of ricotta and 80 g of sugar. Finely chop 20 g of walnuts, 20 g of hazelnuts, and 20 g of almonds. Add to the ricotta.
Roll out the pastry dough and top with the ricotta mixture. Add slices of fresh figs or a layer of fig jam. Cut the remaining dough into 2 cm-long strips and create a lattice pattern on the top. Trim the hanging edges and bake at 180°C for 40 minutes. Let cool, then serve.
