Receta Farm to Face- Blackberry-Fig Tart with Oregano
By Greg Henry
Grab a fork. I’ve got a sweet and savory Blackberry-Fig Tart with Oregano today. Actually I’m not sure you’ll even need the fork. I usually eat figs with my fingers, I don’t see why this tart should be any different.
I was recently invited to a celebration of California Figs. Naturally this Figology Fest, as its called, featured figs in a multitude of delicious dishes prepared by Erika (In Erika’s Kitchen) and Judy (Two Broads Abroad). Many of which are pictured on the FBLA Google+ Events page.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’ve been doing quite a few things with figs lately. That’s partly because it’s fig season, and partly because I left the Figology Fest with dozens of figs in need of my immediate love and attention.
In order to get some inspiration for this Blackberry-Fig Tart with Oregano I visited the California Figs website. I was immediately struck by their environmental story. Water Management is always an important aspect in farming, but the California drought has made me more aware of the fruits and vegetables I buy. Whenever possible I look for ingredients that put less pressure on this valuable liquid resource. Figs are naturally drought tolerant. Though they need a regular supply of water to produce their best summer fruit, they can “pull in their horns” so to speak and survive long periods with very little water.
While reading about the growing practices of California Figs I couldn’t help but notice that the fig growers of California have really embraced the whole “Farm to Fork” movement, which I too heartily embrace. However, when it comes to figs, “Farm to Face” is a more appropriate description of my world. Because that’s how I typically eat figs, out of hand when nobody’s looking.
I’ve been involved with a group known as Fallen Fruit. The group began by mapping fruit trees growing on or over public property in Los Angeles and encouraging artists and other participants like me to not let this fruit go to waste. The collaboration has expanded to include serialized public projects and site-specific installations. Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park is currently installing L.A.’s First Urban Fruit Trail, with the hope that an edible landscape will improve the quality of life in that part of town. Which is why I often find myself foraging my neighborhood for figs and other edibles that overhang public property. I’ve written about these adventures before.
Blackberry-Fig Tart with Oregano
Today however, I want to tell you about another collaboration. The collaboration between two of my favorite summertime superstars. Figs and Blackberries.
This Blackberry-Fig Tart may seem like an unusual combination. That’s because I’ve included a whiff of pungent oregano in the filling. Please don’t let that turn you away from this terrific tart. At its heart it’s a blackberry jam infused frangipane. Frangipane is a classic almond filling found in many of my favorite French pastries. The herbal quality of oregano works nicely with the sweet, gooey textures you’ll find in this tart. Which is topped off with more jammy goodness in the form California figs. GREG
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter (cut into small pieces, divided)
- ¼ cup ice cold water (or more as needed)
- 3/4 cup chopped blanched almonds
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 ounce fresh blackberries
- 6-7 fresh figs (halved)
- mascarpone cheese (optional)
Directions
Make the crust: Pulse flour, and ½ teaspoon salt in a food processor until combined. Add ½-cup butter pieces, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds.
Drizzle ¼ cup ice water into the mixture using the feed tube. As it drizzles in pulse until mixture just begins to hold together in jagged shards (it should not be wet or sticky). If dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse. Press dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.
Roll dough to a 14-inch circle (1/8 inch thick) on a floured surface. Fit dough into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch fluted round tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim excess dough flush with edges of pan using a knife. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Set the oven rack to the center position. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prick bottom of tart shell all over with a fork, line with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove parchment and weights, and bake until set and lightly golden, about 15 minutes more. Let cool. Lower oven to 325 degrees F.
While the shell bakes make the filling: Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely chopped. Add sugar, oregano, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt; pulse to combine. Add remaining ½-cup butter pieces, eggs, and vanilla; process until almond batter is smooth.
Spread the blackberries evenly into tart shell. Top with almond batter until about 2/3 full. Do not overfill. Gently press fig halves, cut side up into the batter. They should sit slightly embedded in the batter but take care not to press hard enough as to make the batter overflow or to swallow up the figs entirely.
Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until set and nicely browned on top. Serve with mascarpone on the side if using.
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This post was sponsored by California Figs. The raw figs photograph appears courtesy of my editorial partnership with Shutterstock.