CARAMELISED FIGS are a traditional delicacy of the Romagna cuisine. In the rural tradition, figs were harvested unripe, caramelised with sugar on the stove and then stored in glass jars to preserve them during the winter.
Today, this delicacy is also prepared by restaurants. There are many different recipes – some recommend the use of black figs, others the green ones, but they all have to be compact and not very ripe, so that they don’t break during the preparation.
They are traditionally eaten with soft cheeses, as squacquerone, with piadina, as part of desserts or with vanilla ice cream. It’s not difficult to prepare them at home – you just need to be patient, as you have to leave them to rest for one night with sugar and lemon zest, and the cooking time is quite long.
CARAMELISED FIGS RECIPE
Ingredients
- 1 kg of figs;
- 300 grams of sugar;
- Lemon with edible zest.
Directions
Put the figs in a large saucepan. Add the lemon zest and the juice of a whole lemon. Then pour the sugar and leave it to rest for about 12 hours.
Cook on a low flame for about two hours. Stir the figs regularly and gently, in order not to break them. When the syrup is similar to honey in colour and texture, remove from heat.
Put the hot figs in glass jars and close them with airtight lids. Turn them upside down for 30 minutes, then put them in water and boil them for 15 minutes. Take them out and turn them upside down again.
Store them in a dark, dry place.
