Baked Figs with Crisp Coppa, Soft Cheese, Honey and Thyme
At this time of year, locally grown figs can be an absolute delight to eat just as they are, including the skins which are delicious but often discarded. But if you want to eat them warm and are happy to make a little more effort, these figs baked with Coppa and honey and eaten with Labneh or other soft cheese and some simply dressed leaves are very good. If there are no fresh figs available use dried ones instead and soften them as shown below. *
Baked Figs with Crisp Coppa, Soft Cheese, Honey and Thyme
For 4 as a first course or light meal
- 8 ripe figs, washed and patted dry with kitchen paper or 16 dried figs which have been softened as explained below*
- 8 very thin slices of dry cured ham such as Coppa – Hartgrove Coppa from https://www.therealcure.co.uk is good
- 1-2 teaspoons of fragrant honey such as lavender or borage or something similar
- The leaves from a few sprigs of thyme
- Some cocktail sticks to secure the Coppa
- 8 tsp of labneh or equivalent other soft cheese
- Some fresh green leaves such as watercress or rocket
- 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and a tiny pinch of sea salt flakes to dress the leaves
- Preheat the oven to 200c.
- Using a sharp knife, cut a cross in each fig from the tip of the stem down through the centre but stopping about one centimetre above the base so that the fig will open like a flower.
- Sit the figs on a lightly oiled baking tray and wrap a slice of the Coppa, or other ham, around each fig and secure with a cocktail stick. If using the softened, dried figs, cut each slice of ham in half and wrap around each fig and secure with a cocktail stick.
- Drizzle with the honey, scatter with the thyme leaves and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the ham is crisp.
- Toss the leaves in a tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil and the salt and eat them with the warm figs and some labneh or other soft cheese spooned over the top of each one.
*To Soften Dried Figs
There is no real need to worry about specific quantities but those given here should make the process worth the effort – 300g of dried figs is about 30 small figs. Use instead of fresh figs.
- Cut any tough stalks from about 300g of dried figs.
- Place the figs in a pan and completely cover them with water.
- Bring the whole lot to the boil and then reduce the heat to simmer for about 20 minutes or until the figs are nicely soft but still hold their shape. The water will have turned into a luscious syrup so don’t discard it.
- Let them cool completely in the syrup and then store the figs and the syrup in a clean jar in the fridge until you need them. They will keep well for at least a week.
