Dried Fig Tart Recipes

FIG AND ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Combine the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, lemon zest, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until blended. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, gradually add the water until moist clumps form. Turn the mixture out onto a work surface and form into a ball. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for 1 hour.
• In a clean food processor bowl, combine remaining sugar, almond paste, mascarpone cheese, vanilla extract, and honey. Blend until smooth.
• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• On a large sheet of parchment paper, roll out the dough into an 11-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a large, heavy baking sheet. Spread the almond filling over the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Arrange the figs on top of the almond filling. Spoon the jam over the figs. Fold the dough border over the filling to form an 8-inch round, pleating the crust loosely and pinching to seal any cracks in the dough.
• Bake the tart until the crust is golden, about 40 minutes. Place the baking sheet on a rack to cool for 10 minutes, then slide a metal spatula under the crust to free the tart from the parchment. Transfer the tart to a platter and serve.
• Cook's Note: To reconstitute dried figs, simmer in water for 5 minutes. Let the mixture cool completely. Strain before using.

FRENCH FIG TARTS

Steps:

• For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a 5-inch-round flat disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for exactly 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• On a floured board, roll the dough to a rectangle a little larger than 10-by-14 inches. Wrap the dough around your rolling pin and transfer it to the prepared pan. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the dough to a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Remove the stem of each fig and cut them in quarters through the stem (or in sixths, if the figs are very large.) Place the figs in rows on the dough. Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.
• Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the fruit starts to brown. Rotate the pan once during baking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The juices will burn in the pan but the tart (and the pan!) will be fine! When the tart's done, loosen it from the pan while it's still warm and transfer it to a board or clean piece of parchment paper.
• In a small pan, heat the apricot jelly with 2 tablespoons water and brush the fruit and pastry completely with the mixture. Allow to cool, cut into squares, and serve warm or at room temperature.

DRIED FIG AND MARSALA TART

Steps:

• Set the oven at 400°F/200°C/Gas 6. Put the figs and raisins into a mixing bowl, pour over the Marsala and leave to stand for forty-five minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Make the pastry:
• Cut the cold butter into small cubes and rub into the flour, either with your fingertips or using a food processor. Work until you have what looks like coarse, fresh breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.
• Add the egg yolks to the butter and flour. Mix together until you have a soft dough, then turn out on to a floured board and knead briefly, for just a minute. Shape the dough into a smooth, fat cylinder. Wrap it in greaseproof paper or clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for thirty minutes.
• Make the caramel:
• Place the Tatin mould or a frying pan over a moderate heat. (If you will be baking the tart in a cake tin, use a frying pan to make the caramel, otherwise you will damage your tin.) Add the Marsala from the dried fruit, leaving the fruit behind in the bowl, then add the sugar. Bring to the boil and leave to form a thin caramel. If you are using a Tatin mould, remove from the heat. If you are using a cake tin, pour the caramel from the frying pan into the tin.
• Assemble the tart:
• Cut the butter into small cubes and scatter it over the caramel. Place the plumped-up figs on the base of the tin in a single layer (neatly or not, as you wish), then scatter over the raisins, pushing them into any gaps.
• Roll out the pastry a little larger than the Tatin mould or cake tin. With the help of the rolling pin-it is very fragile-lift the pastry into the mould or tin, pressing it gently into place over the figs. Tuck in any overhanging pastry.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about thirty minutes, until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and leave to settle for ten to fifteen minutes. Place a large serving plate on top of the tart, then, using oven gloves, hold the tin and plate firmly and carefully turn them over, leaving the tart to slide out on to the plate. Serve warm with cream, ice cream or crème fraîche.

MARSALA AND DRIED-FIG CROSTATA

Steps:

• For filling:
• Combine all ingredients in heavy large saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until figs are very tender, about 1 hour. Uncover and simmer until liquid reduces slightly, about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Cool slightly. Refrigerate until cool, stirring occasionally (mixture will be thick), about 45 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks. (Filling can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix flour, sugar, fennel seeds, and salt in processor. Add butter and 1 egg. Using on/off turns, process until dough forms. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Flatten each half into disk. Wrap 1 disk in plastic wrap; refrigerate until cold, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. Press remaining dough disk onto bottom and up sides of 10-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Pierce bottom all over with fork. Chill until firm, about 10 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
• Roll out chilled dough disk on waxed paper to 12-inch round. Transfer dough on waxed paper to rimless baking sheet. Cut dough into twelve 3/4-inch-wide strips. Chill strips while filling tart. Spread filling evenly in crust. Place 6 dough strips atop filling, spacing evenly. Place remaining 6 strips diagonally atop first 6 strips, forming diamond lattice pattern. Press ends of strips against edge of tart pan to trim. Whisk remaining egg in small bowl to blend; brush over lattice.
• Bake tart until juices bubble thickly around edges and crust is deep golden, about 55 minutes. Cool on rack 1 hour. Using small knife, gently loosen tart from pan sides. Remove sides. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with ice cream.

DRIED FIG TART

Steps:

• 1 Prepare the pastry, if necessary. Let the larger piece of dough soften briefly at room temperature. Place the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll it out to form a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. 2 When the dough is ready, remove the top sheet of plastic wrap. Using the remaining sheet to lift the dough, center the dough in a 9- to 10-inch tart pan, with the plastic-covered side up. Peel off the plastic wrap. Gently press the dough into the base of the pan and along the sides. Roll the rolling pin over the top of the pan and trim off the overhanging dough. Gently press the dough against the sides of the pan to create a rim higher than the edge of the pan. Refrigerate the pastry shell 30 minutes. 3 In a medium saucepan, combine the figs, sugar, juice, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 10 minutes. Let cool 30 minutes. Stir in the zest. 4 Place the oven rack on the lowest level. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the fig mixture in the bottom of the prepared shell. 5 Roll out the remaining dough to a 10-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. With a fluted pastry wheel, cut the dough into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Arrange the strips about 1 inch apart across the jam. Rotate the tart a quarter-turn and place the remaining strips across the top, forming a lattice pattern. Press the ends of the strips against the sides of the tart to seal. Brush the dough with the egg yolk. 6 Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. 7 Let the tart cool in the pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove the pan rim and let the tart cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Store covered with a large inverted bowl at room temperature up to 24 hours. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

FIG AND HAZELNUT TARTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut 6 figs into 3/4-inch dice. Set aside in a bowl.
• In a food processor, process nuts until medium fine. Sift together flour and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar; add to nuts; pulse to combine. Add egg, egg white, butter, brandy, pepper, and zest. Process to combine, about 10 seconds. Add batter to figs, and mix together.
• Spray four 3 3/4-inch (or one 8-inch) tart pans with vegetable-oil spray. Divide batter evenly among the pans. Cut remaining 2 figs lengthwise into 6 slices each. Arrange 3 slices over each tart. Place tart pans on a baking sheet. Bake until tarts are set and golden brown, about 40 minutes (for individual tarts or one large tart). Remove from oven and cool slightly. Remove tarts from pans, sprinkle with remaining sugar, and serve.

FIG TARTLETS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Divide the pastry into 6 pieces. Roll out each piece to the thickness of a £1 coin and cut into a 11-12cm round, using a cutter or saucer as a guide. Place on the baking sheet and mark 1cm in from the edge, taking care not to cut right through the pastry. Fork over the pastry inside the marked line.
• Slice each fig and arrange, overlapping, inside the marked line of the tartlets. Brush with the butter and sprinkle with icing sugar. Can now be chilled for up to 5 hrs. Bake for 18-20 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden on the edges.
• Warm the jelly in a small pan, brush over the tartlets, then dust with more icing sugar. Serve warm from the oven or at room temperature, with Pistachio ice cream (see 'Goes well with...') or crème fraîche.

DRIED FIG VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Combine the 1/2 cup of chopped figs with 1 cup of water and the shallots in a saucepan over hight heat and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 7 minutes.
• Transfer to a blender, add the apple juice and puree until smooth.
• Pour into a mixing bowl and whisk in the thyme, mustard seeds, vinegar, olive oil and the 3 TBS of diced figs.
• Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• If the dressing seems too thick, you can thin it with additional juice.
• Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

DRIED FIG TART

Steps:

• 1 Prepare the pastry, if necessary. Let the larger piece of dough soften briefly at room temperature. Place the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll it out to form a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. 2 When the dough is ready, remove the top sheet of plastic wrap. Using the remaining sheet to lift the dough, center the dough in a 9- to 10-inch tart pan, with the plastic-covered side up. Peel off the plastic wrap. Gently press the dough into the base of the pan and along the sides. Roll the rolling pin over the top of the pan and trim off the overhanging dough. Gently press the dough against the sides of the pan to create a rim higher than the edge of the pan. Refrigerate the pastry shell 30 minutes. 3 In a medium saucepan, combine the figs, sugar, juice, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 10 minutes. Let cool 30 minutes. Stir in the zest. 4 Place the oven rack on the lowest level. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the fig mixture in the bottom of the prepared shell. 5 Roll out the remaining dough to a 10-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. With a fluted pastry wheel, cut the dough into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Arrange the strips about 1 inch apart across the jam. Rotate the tart a quarter-turn and place the remaining strips across the top, forming a lattice pattern. Press the ends of the strips against the sides of the tart to seal. Brush the dough with the egg yolk. 6 Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. 7 Let the tart cool in the pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove the pan rim and let the tart cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Store covered with a large inverted bowl at room temperature up to 24 hours. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.