Fig Fetish

Some people have a foot fetish, I have a fig fetish.

No lie. I love fresh figs. There is something very sexy about a fig. In NJ we have a Kadota fig tree on our patio which produces green figs with a light pink interior that are ready to eat in September. I can't wait until September to enjoy these beauties. Right now at the farmers' market I can get nice Mission figs, and sometimes Trader Joe's has amazing plump California Mission figs. My poor husband has to eat fig & arugula salad w/ Parmesan Reggiano, a fig tart, & any other thing I can think of to use figs. Tonight for company, I made an interesting appetizer which was pretty and tasty.

Ripe Fig Crostini

Make crostini (little toasts) by cutting a nice loaf of Italian sliced sandwich
bread into rectangles or squares. Toss in a bowl w/ olive oil and herbs de
Provence to coat. Bake on cookie sheet at 375 for about 15 min. Keep an eye so the toasts don't burn. (toasts will stay in a ziploc for a few days).

Mix ricotta cheese (any kind will do) with a little pesto and spread onto toasts.

Quarter whole, ripe figs and place a slice of fig on top of the ricotta cheese. Tuck a little basil leaf underneath each fig.

When ready to serve, drizzle some good olive oil over the platter, and finish with some fig balsamic vinegar (if you
don't have fig balsamic, regular balsamic will do). Serve at room temp.