Get Figgy With It…..
I think the fig is the most beautiful fruit…hands down. When it comes to food porn, the fig takes the cake. Cut open a fresh fig and I dare you to not be smitten. I am perfectly satisfied to eat fresh figs until my stomach churns….similar issues that I have when confronted with A) pecan pie and B) ketchup…yes, ketchup is a downfall of mine. I swear I have no idea what a tater tot actually tastes like….but I digress.
Back to the star of this dessert….the fig! So, figs are here and I bought a metric boat load. Before they went bad, I decided to use them in a rustic tart….also known as a gilette. I’m in deep smit with gilettes. They are easy and fabulous to make for gatherings. I made my own crust (preferable), but I have also used frozen pie crust in a pinch. The figs are quartered and placed over an almond paste also known as frangipane. I used salted and roasted almonds and simply rinsed the salt off of them. You can use raw almonds and roast them in an oven at 350F for 10 minutes, stirring frequently so that they don’t burn. I also recommend eating this with a fresh cream or my favorite…good vanilla ice cream.
Note: This dessert can be made with other fruit besides fig. Recently, I made a galette with thinly sliced apples tossed in cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar…mmmm. You could also substitute the figs for plums or peaches, or whatever is in season.
- 1 1/4 Cup all purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1/2 Cup butter (1 stick), cut into 1/2 inch small cubes and placed in the freezer for 15 minutes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 Cup of ice water
- 1 1/2 pounds of fresh figs, tips removed, quatered
- 1/4 Cup roasted almonds
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3 Tbsp flour
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg white
CRUST: If you are daring enough to make your own (and I recommend it), use either a food processor or a mixing bowl and combine flour and sugar. Add butter and process until mixture resembles a coarse meal, approximately 10 seconds. If not using a food processor, You can use two knives or a pastry blender to cut butter into small pieces until they are the size of small peans. With food processor running, gradually add water and egg yolk through the feed tube. OR if you are like me and doing it by hand, just pour this stuff in. Stir with a wooden spoon until dough is not wet and sticky and holds together. Do not over mix (mix for less than 30 seconds). Wrap dough in plastic and chill for at least an hour.
ALMOND PASTE (FRANGIPANE): Grind almonds in a food processor with flour and sugar. Add egg. If not using right away, store this in the fridge for up to three days or freezer for a month.
ASSEMBLE GALETTE: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove pastry dough from fridge 30 minutes prior to using. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Press out to 10″ to 12″ diameter. Leave a 2 to 3″ border. Ttransfer crust to the baking sheet (something I keep forgetting to do and end up transferring the pie after it has been assembled elsewhere). Spread almond paste on the dough leaving a 2″ border. Quarter the figs and place them over the almond paste. Sprinkle lemon zest over figs. For the crust, brush the endue of the crust with an egg white. Sprinkle the whole thing with raw sugar and bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the pastry edges are golden brown.
BIG EATS tiny kitchen 
I love your blog! And am vowing to pick up figs tomorrow at the Farmer’s Market to try this delicious dish. Thank oodles. And keep the recipes coming.
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