L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano S eptember in Italy means figs. Not t h e b i g e a r l y fioroni you see in J u n e , b u t t h e l a t e r c r o p t h a t r i p e n s between late August and the first cool weeks of fall. These are the fichi set- t e m b r i n i : s m a l l e r a n d denser, with concentrated sweetness and a thinner skin, they are known for how ver- satile they are in the kitchen. They arrive just as the grape harvest starts, so markets fill with crates of dark and pale green figs, and bunches of grapes, the first colorful sign the fall is almost here. N e e d l e s s t o s a y , t h e y m a k e t h e i r w a y i n t o o u r pantries, too. F i g s g r o w a c r o s s t h e peninsula, but some areas are closely tied to drying and preserving: for instance, Cal- abria's Dottato variety, pro- tected under the fichi di Cosenza PDO, is known because its pulp stays com- p a c t a s i t d r i e s , w h i l e i n Campania, the fico bianco del Cilento shares a similar reputation. W h e n y o u s e e t h e s e names on labels, you're look- ing at fruit selected for tex- t u r e a n d s u g a r c o n t e n t , which explains why they are used in so many traditional desserts. Calabria offers the most recognizable example with the crocette di fichi, a delicious but straightforward treat to make: it all starts with halved, sun-wilted figs, which are then opened, set crosswise into an "X," and filled before baking. The fill- ing is simple, too: a walnut kernel pressed into the cen- t e r , s o m e t i m e s a s t r i p o f o r a n g e o r l e m o n z e s t f o r a r o m a , a n d a p i n c h o f g r o u n d c i n n a m o n . M a n y h o m e c o o k s l i n e b a k i n g sheets with bay leaves to per- fume the fruit as it finishes in a low oven; others brush the surface with a little sweet wine or a spoon of must to help the sugars glaze. Once c o o l e d , t h e " c r o s s e s " a r e stacked in tins or glass jars, l a y e r e d a g a i n w i t h b a y leaves. They keep for weeks and come out with coffee, a glass of passito, or along- side fresh ricotta. Across the Adriatic side, Puglia has its own way with figs: in Salento, families pre- pare fichi al forno and the popular fichi maritati, or "married figs." Here, the fruit is first dried – traditionally on cane racks in the sun, or in a very low oven – until it loses much of its water but stays pliable, so that it can be h a l v e d . T h e n , a t o a s t e d almond is sandwiched with- in. Some add lemon zest or a dusting of cinnamon, and many store the finished pairs with bay leaves to ward off humidity. In some towns, you'll find them brushed or drizzled with vincotto, the thick, caramelized reduction of grape must common in southern kitchens. Speaking of must: it, too, signals the coming of fall in Italy. In Emilia and parts of Lombardy, families cook sugoli, a soft pudding of must thickened with flour, which is very easy to make: bring strained must to a sim- mer, whisk in flour carefully to avoid lumps, cook until it coats a spoon, then pour into bowls to set. Served cool, it tastes like grape jam without the weight of sugar, and it takes on a deeper color if m a d e w i t h r e d m u s t . I n L a z i o , especially around Marino, it is used to make donuts or, to be more pre- cise, ciambelle al mosto. Two pantry staples are built on must by cooking it down: in central and north- ern regions, saba or mosto cotto is made by reducing must to a thick syrup, often served along fresh cheeses, r o a s t m e a t s , o r a u t u m n d e s s e r t s . I f y o u b u y i t o r make it, make sure to use it sparingly: a little goes a long way! Puglia's already-men- tioned vincotto is close in technique and use, leaning darker and more caramelized in flavor, and you'll find it finishing sweets like cartel- late at Christmas. Pied- mont takes a different path with cugnà, a dense pre- serve where must simmers with chopped late-season f r u i t s u c h a s p e a r s a n d apples, sometimes with nuts and a few spices. It lands on the table with cheeses or with the region's famous boiled meats, the bollito misto alla piemontese. These recipes travel well to American kitchens: for f i g s , B l a c k M i s s i o n a n d Brown Turkey varieties are easy to find and behave simi- l a r l y w h e n d r i e d l o w a n d s l o w i n t h e o v e n . C h o o s e fruit that is ripe but not col- lapsing, as it should hold its shape when halved. If you want to try crocette, keep the oven around 250–275°F and bake until the surfaces are slightly tacky and the centers firm up, then cool before storing. For Apulian style "married" figs, toast the almonds first so they stay crisp, and add only a light touch of zest or cinnamon: the fig should lead. If you cannot find vincotto or saba locally, some specialty gro- cers carry bottles labeled saba or mosto cotto, and a small bottle lasts a long time. All in all, what ties figs and must together is timing: fichi settembrini arrive when fam- ilies are already busy with g r a p e s , s o k i t c h e n s t a k e advantage of both. Figs are dried, stuffed, and stacked for the months ahead, while must is cooked into syrup, s t i r r e d i n t o p u d d i n g s , o r worked into simple breads. Nothing here is complicated, and each recipe can be scaled to a small household. In the end, you're left with a few classic flavors of the Italian early fall: the dense sweet- ness of late figs, the clean perfume of bay leaves, the slight bitterness of grape seeds in warm bread, and the round, grapey notes of must. For readers who like to cook seasonally, September is the right window: buy figs when they are soft to the touch but not leaking, and use them the day you bring them home if you plan to bake or dry them. Set aside an afternoon for the oven, and a small pot for reducing must or opening a bottle of saba. A few jars and paper bags later, you'll have the same practical sweets many Italian households rely on when summer ends and the first cool evenings arrive. FRANCESCA BEZZONE Figs can be very versatile in the kitchen (Photo: Catarii/Dreamstime) LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES September: when figs and must reign in the kitchen

• Cover