Fig Week: Fig Crostini

Sweet and succulent figs are sliced and are the crowning glory to toasted Crostini layered with honey ricotta.  Heaven on toast!

Fig Crostini

These teardrop shaped succulent fruit are coveted by many.  My fig tree is full of figs this year and we just harvested the first round of ripened fruit.  Figs aren't actually a fruit but are inverted flowers.  But technicalities aside these are some of the most popular fruit of the Mediterranean and most of the US production of figs are grown in California.

Figs have a unique taste.  Their flavor is deep and rich, and concentrated like honey.  They are sticky sweet with a jammy pulpy interior.  When eating figs you should slice off the woody stem but you can eat the thin skin and the flesh inside.  Once you have a nice ripe one you will be looking forward to fig season each year.  You will see them in stores now but, act quick as you can only get these little gems during a short window with the fall figs peaking in September.  

I'll be doing a week of fig recipes from my first batch and may throw in a couple of more in the weeks following as my remaining batches ripen.  Today's recipe isn't really a recipe at all but it is one of the best ways to enjoy fresh figs.  Toasted Crostini is topped with honey sweetened ricotta cheese and topped with slices of ripened figs, then drizzled with a little more honey on top.  The best breakfast, snack, or charcuterie items by far!  

Below I gave you the ingredients and the process.  I'll leave it up to you as to how many you make and the amount of each ingredient as this can be personalized.  Use as little or as much as you like of each ingredient.  I hope you go buy some and enjoy the treasure that is a fig.  It truly is a wonderful fruit.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• Fresh figs

• Ricotta cheese - either skim or full fat work

• Honey - use your favorite kind

• Bread - You can use an Italian Country loaf or a French Baguette to make the crostini

• Olive Oil - use extra virgin for the best flavor

• Mint - optional but definitely a plus as a bright topping

Substitutions and Variations

• Cheese:  try mascarpone or even cream cheese instead of the ricotta

• Drizzle:  try a balsamic glaze instead of the honey

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Toasting the bread:  The traditional way is to rub olive oil on both sides and toast the slices in the oven until crisp.  If you don't want to do that you can follow the same process with the olive oil but toast it in a skillet on the stove.  All else fails you can use a toaster.  They all work!

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Fig Crostini

Sliced Italian Country Bread or French Baguette

Olive Oil
Honey
Ricotta Cheese
Figs
Mint (optional garnish)

Toast slices of country bread or baguette in the oven by brushing both sides with olive oil and placing them on a sheet pan.  Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.

Take the ricotta cheese and place in a small bowl.  Add in a small amount of honey and whip the ricotta to incorporate the honey.

Slice the figs by cutting off the stems then quartering the figs.

To assemble the Crostini:  take the Crostini and spread a good portion of honey ricotta cheese over the top.  Layer on the slices of fig, add leaves of mint as garnish if you choose, and drizzle some honey over the top.