Fresh, Late Summer Figs – Crostini with Whipped Fresh Ricotta, Fresh Figs, Honey, and Fennel Pollen
The summer I did research for my master’s thesis, scuba diving in the bays on the east end of Long Island, we traveled the same route every morning to get to the marina. As we drove past the farm fields that dominate the North Fork landscape I marveled at the neat rows of crops, noting how they changed and matured throughout the season.
Many years later it’s the same every day on my morning walk as I observe fig trees firmly planted in the ground of two of my neighbors’ front yards. In early spring they trim dead, frost-damaged, and excess branches, sometimes almost to the ground, to open the canopy for more light and better air flow and to give room for the growing branches to extend. By early summer new growth has lengthened the limbs and leaves have filled out, collecting the abundant sunlight. By mid-summer, immature fruits have begun to form, evenly spaced, alternating from one side of the branches to the other. In early fall those fruits ripen, one by one, swelling from a dull green to mottled brown and deep purple. Soft and fragrant they are ready to eat.
As my daily walk comes to an end and I arrive home, I always check the progress of my own fig trees, which I grow from cuttings to increase my crop and share with friends. Mine are planted in pots rather than the ground so I can easily move them into the garage for winter shelter, avoiding the damaging cold and minimizing the effort of protecting them. As a result, they tend to ripen earlier than my neighbors’ in the ground.
For a full month, from late August to late September, I am presented with the gift of fresh fruit; my four trees offer a few ripe figs every day. It is a lovely reward for early morning exercise, and I usually gobble them up right away, warm and aromatic, with juices dripping.
Occasionally I’ll save my harvest in the refrigerator for a few days to build up enough figs for a recipe. I’ve never had enough from my trees to make fig jam, but last year a neighbor had far more than her kitchen could handle and I’m still enjoying the excess, preserved to this day. More typically I’ll serve them as a component of a varied antipasto or as a simple appetizer with chunks of feta cheese, the salty-sweet combination so divine. Or perhaps in an arugula salad with burrata and pine nuts. They may become the garnish in a fancier meal, maybe Seared Duck Breast with Fig and Balsamic Reduction, although sometimes I replace the duck with pork tenderloin.
No matter how I serve them, fresh, ripe figs that I harvest on my own are far superior to anything you can purchase. Unlike supermarket figs, which I often find either over or under ripe, I can harvest mine at their peak, unless of course they’ve already been nibbled by a bird or squirrel. The time spent tending and watering them all year pays off when I am rewarded with their rich, sweet taste and jammy texture as the nights begin to cool, signaling the end of the long, hot summer.
Crostini with Whipped Fresh Ricotta, Fresh Figs, Honey, and Fennel Pollen
Fresh ricotta cheese is a marvel compared to the factory-made stuff you buy at the supermarket. It is rich and creamy, a far cry from the chalky texture and bland taste from a plastic tub. A dallop of fresh ricotta in a hot bowl of pasta with red sauce is a wonderful treat. And when whipped and smeared on crostini, it makes a spectacular appetizer. There are endless variations and toppings, but honey, fennel, and figs is one of my favorites.
As for fennel, in late summer the plants in my garden are flowering. That means I can trim pollen from the bright yellow flowers to scent the fresh ricotta with its essence. Sometimes, if the flowers have advanced past the pollen stage, I add immature seeds, soft little licorice-flavored nuggets reminiscent of Good & Plenty candies. I realize that neither are available to most people, but a handful of wispy fennel fronds, finely minced, will suffice. They also make for a nice garnish.
I don’t make my own fresh ricotta, although it’s supposedly as simple as mixing warmed whole milk, salt, and lemon juice, then waiting and straining. I tried it once, an utter failure. On Long Island, where I live, there are an abundance of Italian pork stores, combination delis, butchers, and prepared food shops where you can always buy locally made fresh ricotta. It’s delicious, and for me, that will suffice.
½ hour, serves 4-8 as an appetizer
For the crostini:
1 baguette sliced into ¼ to ½-inch rounds
2-4 Tbsp. olive oil
kosher salt
For the fresh ricotta:
1 cup fresh ricotta
2 Tbsp. honey
½ tsp. fennel pollen (or 1 tsp. immature fennel seeds or 1 Tbsp. finely minced fennel fronds)
½ tsp. kosher salt
For assembly:
10 fresh, ripe figs, sliced
honey for drizzling
coarse finishing salt such as Maldon
- Make the crostini. Preheat oven to 375 oF. Lay the slices of baguette on a sheet pan. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Place sheet pan in oven and bake until lightly toasted. Flip baguette slices, place back in oven and bake until the second side is lightly toasted. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Crostini can be prepared ahead of time, cooled, and stored in an air-tight container or sealed plastic bag until ready to use.
- Add fresh ricotta, honey, fennel pollen (or substitute), and salt to a metal bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer to incorporate air, until lightly whipped and ingredients are well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings, mixing briefly after each addition, until you are satisfied with the flavor. Ricotta can be whipped ahead of time and stored covered in the refrigerator.
- When ready to eat, assemble the appetizer by smearing whipped ricotta on each crostini, topping with fresh sliced figs, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkling of salt. Serve immediately.
