It's Fig Season:: Let's make a tart!

Hey everyone! I’m Nicole, Annette’s web manager and friend, and I’m excited to share an end-of-summer recipe with you.

A few years ago, my grandparents gifted my husband and me a fig tree. After nursing it inside during a harsh winter, we eagerly planted it and have watched it grow from a sapling to a fruit-bearing tree. This year is the first year we’ve been able to harvest any figs that the squirrels haven't eaten which has me on the lookout for all the fig recipes I can get my hands on.

Of course, that meant turning to Annette’s trusty and knowledgeable blog. The funny thing about figs is that their season is very short, and once you’ve plucked them from a tree, you have to eat them pretty quickly. That’s why something like jam or a tart, like I’m sharing today, is such an effective way to use your figs!

Below, find Annette’s fig advice along with her incredible recipe for a fig tart!

Choose your figs by looking for ones that are slightly soft and give to a little pressure, but aren’t mushy. Store them in the fridge, but be sure not to wash them until you’re ready to use them.

Figs are incredibly delicate, so be careful when you wash them. Never scrub figs or use anything harsher than your fingers. Instead, gently rub any dirt you see away from the fig’s surface. Remove the stems by twisting gently until they come off. Pat them to dry.

I have to say, this tart is wonderful; it actually tastes like a gourmet fig newton!

Fig Tart
serves 8

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

For the crust:
– 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
– 1 tablespoon sugar + 2 tablespoons sugar
– 4 tablespoons cold butter cut into 1 inch cubes + 1 tablespoon butter
– 1/4 cup olive oil ( I got mine from a local press, 2 blocks away, gotta love Italy)
– pinch salt
– 1/2 cup ice water

To prepare: 

In a Cuisnart or Kitchenaid, put in flour, sugar, salt and 4 tablespoons butter + oil. mix on medium speed until it becomes a crumby mixture.

Slowly add ice water until the dough pulls together. Place in the fridge and start on the figs.

For the fig filling:

Slice the figs into quarters, roll out the dough, and place into the tart pan, arrange fig quarters on the dough in a fan pattern.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar + 1 tablespoon cubed butter on top of the fig arrangement.

Put into a 400 degree oven for 1 hour, or until the figs and dough are nicely browned, they should be a nice shade of caramel.

Cool and serve.

Enjoy xx

Photos by Annette