Fig Bruschetta Recipe with Fig Puree and Ricotta | White On Rice Couple (2024)

FAQs

How do Italians eat figs? ›

Jams and chutneys. Ripe and juicy figs are ideal for turning into homemade jams and tangy chutneys. Our sweet fig jam is delicious spread on toast or swirled into yogurt, and also makes a great gift.

Figs can go sweet or savory. They love honey, or caramel, or cinnamon and sugar. They appreciate a little salt and/or pepper, and positively shine in the company of cultured dairy like sour cream, crème fraîche, yogurt, labneh, or quark—and all kinds of soft fresh or hard aged cheeses.

And blue cheese and figs is a classic for good reason. You can never go wrong with Gorgonzola, and for those who are hesitant about blues, take a bite of sweet, mellow, fudgy Bay Blue from Point Reyes together with a fig, and then let me know if you've changed your mind (both available at Murray's Cheese).

1. Blue Cheese. The contrast in flavor between the pungent, stinky cheese and the delicate sweetness of the figs is what makes these two so perfect together. Stuff the cheese inside the figs or enjoy a sliced fig and blue cheese crostini.

The entire fig is edible, from the thin skin to the red or purplish flesh and the myriad tiny seeds, but they can be peeled if you wish. Always cut off the stem. Wash the figs and gently pat dry to serve whole.

When you are trying to shed kilos, you can have fresh or dried figs between your meals to curb your hunger. Loaded with fiber and protein, figs keep you fuller for a longer time and prevent you from unhealthy munching. If you are eating dried figs, first soak them overnight in water.

Sprinkle the baking soda over the figs; cover with the 12 cups of boiling water. Soak for 45 minutes to 1 hour. This helps remove any latex from the skin of any slightly under-ripe figs.

Figs are a good source of both calcium and potassium. These minerals can work together to improve bone density, which can, in turn, prevent conditions like osteoporosis. Studies suggest that a potassium-rich diet, in particular, can improve bone health and reduce bone turnover.

Figs are often recommended to nourish and tone the intestines, they act as a natural laxative because of their high fibre content. The fibre they provide also has prebiotic properties, feeding the gut bacteria and promoting a healthy gut environment which, as a result, improves digestive wellness.

Can I eat 10 figs a day? ›

They may improve digestion and decrease constipation, help manage blood fat and blood sugar levels, and kill cancer cells. It is recommended to limit portion size to about 2–3 figs per day. Moreover, dried figs are healthy snack for weight gain.

Along with the fruit, fig leaves and fig leaf tea appear to be beneficial for health. Dried figs in particular may help relieve constipation. However, figs may interfere with blood thinning medications due to their vitamin K content, and dried figs should be eaten in moderation due to their high sugar content.

Figs are rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidants and provide fiber and smaller amounts of a variety of minerals. They may also support digestive, gut, and menstrual health, improve inflammatory conditions, aid weight management, and offer cancer protection.

Fresh figs are at their best when enjoyed raw, especially when picked straight from the tree while still warm from the sun. If that's not an option, simply cut them in half, pair them with soft goat cheese or feta, and relish the goodness. Can You Eat a Fig Whole? Yes, you can!

Travel to central Italy, and you'll find figs as staples in rustic dishes.

Figs were among the most used fruits in the ancient Mediterranean countries. There were many varieties; Pliny, in the Naturalis Historia, mentions 29 kinds. They were eaten dry or fresh, usually at the end of the dinner with sweets, fruit, cheese, and legumes.

Although the numerous regions in the north of Italy produce delicious figs, it is in southern Italy that figs thrive like nowhere else. In the areas of Calabria, Campania, Puglia and Sicily, the rich soil and hot climate in the summer make ideal conditions for the fig tree.

Menniti says this love of fig trees comes from reverence for a historical means of survival. For agricultural people in Southern Italy, a fig tree offered a source of fruit that could be dried and kept for lean times. The trees also became a symbol of adaptation.