Crostata di Fichi - Fig Crostata
 
 
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Ingredients
Pastry
  • 1½ cup of all purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp. of salt
  • 6 ounces of cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • ⅓ cup, more or less, of ice water
  • Grated peel of ½ lemon
Filling
  • ⅓ cup of unsalted pistachios
  • ⅓ cup of all purpose flour
  • 2 Tbs. of granulated sugar
  • 1 pint of black figs, washed, trimmed, and cup into fourths
  • 3 to 4 sprigs of thyme
  • 2 Tbs. of honey
  • 2 to 3 Tbs. turbinado sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten well
  • 1 Tbs. whole pistachios
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
Pastry
  1. Place the flour and salt in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse lightly until combined. Add the cubed butter and grated lemon peel and pulse until the mixture resembles pea sized crumbs; you do not want to over process the mixture. Add a bit less than ⅓ cup of the ice water with the processor running; if the dough seems terribly dry add a little more water one tablespoon at a time. Once the dough begins to come together, remove to a work surface and gather by hand to form a disc. Cover well in plastic wrap and refridgerate overnight. This dough can be frozen for several weeks and placed in the refridgerator the day prior to using.
Filling
  1. Combine the pistachio, flour, and sugar in the work bowl of a food processor and process until it is a flour like substance, set aside.
  2. Preheat your oven to 400ยบ. Line a heavy duty baking sheet with either parchment paper or a Silpat.
  3. Remove the rested dough from the refrigerator about 10 minutes prior to rolling.
  4. Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper and roll the disc of dough into approximately a 12 inch imperfect circle. When rolling, work from the center outwards, always moving the dough as you continue. Slide the dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
  5. Cover the center 8 or 9 inches of the pastry with about one half of the pistachio mixture, this will act as a base to catch any juices that may result from the figs and prevent the crust from becoming soggy. Use your judgement as to how much of the pistachio mixture is needed, the more juicy the figs, the heavier the layer of pistachio mixture needed; any remaining pistachio mixture may be stored in the freezer for another time.
  6. Arrange the prepared figs over the pistachio mixture, starting at the center and working your way to the perimeter, using the pistachio mixture as your guide. Drizzle the figs with the honey, followed by small segments of the thyme sprigs. Begin to carefully fold up the uncovered portion of the pastry in approximately 3 inch segments, over the figs to form a crust edge. Proceed until you have finished;the crust should look rustic, yet be substantial.
  7. Brush the pastry edge of the crostata with the beaten egg and dust with the turbinado sugar. Place into the preheated oven, close the door & put on the light: refrain from opening your oven. Check the crostata periodically through the oven window. It is ready once the crust is a deep golden and the fruit is bubbling. Remove and allow to cool at room temperature. The crostata is best served warm or at rooms temperature. Garnish with a few whole pistachio nuts and some fresh thyme sprigs. Olive oil gelato is a perfect accompaniment for Crostata di Fichi, however it stand alone quite nicely.
Recipe by LaBellaSorella at http://labellasorella.com/2014/09/crostata-di-fichi-fig-crostata/