According to fruit and vegetable expert Jolanta Sabaitienė, the fig season is a great opportunity for buyers to discover two very different Mediterranean flavors.
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“The Turkish fig is soft, sweet, reminiscent of honey and caramel, so it is often desired to be eaten as a dessert. The Italian prickly pear fig is fresher, juicier, with notes of melon, watermelon, and pear. Both are called figs, but gastronomically they are two completely different fruits,” says fruit and vegetable expert Jolanta Sabaitienė.
Moreover, figs are an excellent source of fiber, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and antioxidants. These sweet fruits improve digestion, help regulate blood pressure, strengthen bones, and provide a long-lasting feeling of satiety.
Turkish figs: an ancient fruit from the gardens of Anatolia
True figs, or Ficus carica, are among the oldest fruits cultivated by humanity. Turkey has been considered one of the largest fig producers in the world for many decades. Fig trees are especially common in the western part of the country, in the Aydın, İzmir, and Muğla regions, where hot summers, mild winters, and hilly valleys are suitable for them. Fig trees can grow up to 3–10 meters tall and produce fruit for decades.
Ripe Turkish figs are soft, drop-shaped, and very sweet. Their skin can be green, yellow, or purple, and the inside is pink or dark red. They are valued for their natural sweetness, honey and caramel notes, soft, juicy texture, and abundance of fiber.
“During the fig season, it is worth taking advantage of their natural sweetness. They go well not only in desserts but also with yogurt, nuts, cheeses, or even dried ham. This is a fruit that does not require many additional ingredients; the most important thing is to choose ripe figs,” says Jolita.
During the fig season, it is worth taking advantage of their natural sweetness. They go well not only in desserts but also with yogurt, nuts, cheeses, or even dried ham.
Fresh figs hardly ripen after picking, so it is very important to choose those that are already properly ripe. Good Turkish figs should be slightly soft when pressed with a finger, look full and heavier than they might seem at first glance, have a uniform color according to the variety, and emit a pleasant sweet aroma. Small cracks on very ripe figs do not necessarily mean the fruit is bad. On the contrary, this may indicate that it has reached maximum sweetness.
Baked figs with Greek yogurt, honey, and pistachios
Ingredients (for 4 servings):
Needed: 8 fresh Turkish figs, 200 g Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey, a handful of chopped pistachios, a pinch of cinnamon, a few mint leaves for serving
Preparation:
1. Wash the figs, dry them, and cut them in half. Place them in a baking dish cut side up. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon.
2. Bake in a 180 °C oven for about 10–12 minutes until the figs soften and start to emit an intense aroma.
3. Put Greek yogurt into bowls, arrange the warm figs on top. Sprinkle with pistachios and garnish with mint.
Serving idea: this dessert is delicious both warm and cooled. For a richer flavor, honey can be replaced with date syrup.
Italian prickly pear figs: fruits of the Sicilian sun
Prickly pear figs, or Opuntia ficus-indica, are actually not fig tree fruits. They grow on opuntias, cacti that came from the American continent and have adapted well to the Mediterranean region. In Italy, the largest areas of prickly pear figs are in Sicily, especially around Catania, at the foot of Mount Etna, and in the southern parts of the island.
Opuntias look like large flat leaves, but in fact, they are thickened stems that store water. Flowers form on them, and later fruits. These plants tolerate heat, long droughts, and poor rocky soils very well, which is why they are considered one of the most sustainable fruits of the Mediterranean region.
The flesh of prickly pear figs is refreshing, very juicy, mildly sweet, reminiscent of a combination of watermelon, melon, and pear flavors. The fruits can be yellow, orange, red, or purple, and inside there are small hard edible seeds.
“Prickly pear figs often surprise buyers. Their exterior is tougher, the skin thicker, but inside hides very fresh and juicy flesh. This fruit is especially suitable for hot days, light desserts, or fruit salads,” says J. Sabaitienė.
It is difficult to judge the ripeness of prickly pear figs by color alone, as it does not always accurately reflect the fruit’s maturity. It is best to choose fruits that are firm but not rock hard, with smooth, unwrinkled skin, without soft or sunken spots.
How to safely handle prickly pear figs?
The most important practical difference between regular and prickly pear figs is that prickly pear figs may have very fine spines called glochids. They are almost invisible but can easily stick into the skin and cause unpleasant irritation.
The most important practical difference between regular and prickly pear figs is that prickly pear figs may have very fine spines.
“Prickly pear figs should be handled more carefully than regular ones. In stores, the fruits are sold already processed, and no additional precautions are needed; you can touch them with bare hands. If you buy them elsewhere and are not sure whether the fruits have been cleaned, do not touch them with bare hands. It is best to use gloves or a kitchen towel, and before peeling the fruits, wash them well under a strong stream of running water, cut off both ends, make a lengthwise cut in the skin, and carefully peel it off to remove the flesh,” advises J. Tamoševičienė.
Sicilian prickly pear fig granita
Ingredients (for 4 servings):
Needed: 6 Italian prickly pear figs, 2 tablespoons sugar or honey, juice of 1 lemon, 100 ml water, a few mint leaves
Preparation:
1. Carefully peel the prickly pear figs, cut the flesh into pieces. Put them in a blender, add water, lemon juice, and sugar or honey. Blend everything until smooth.
2. Strain through a sieve to remove some seeds. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish and place in the freezer.
3. Every 30–40 minutes, stir with a fork to create a fine ice crystal texture. Serve in glasses, garnished with mint.
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