There's this beautiful fig tree in our backyard that to some is the quintessence of mother nature's giving, fruitful womb. It shades our stone porch and gently spreads its branches to share itself with our grateful neighbors. Some days I just sit there and think, "Those leaves are kind of small... poor Adam, he may have been God's first crack at it but fig leaves? Really?"
I'm just kidding, I love that goddamn tree. So much so that for the past two years I've been making these pies when I can.
Fresh Fig Pie Recipe:
Dough: 2 to 2 1/2 cups flour, 1tsp sugar, 1tsp salt, 1 stick cold butter cut into teeny cubes, 5-6 tbs water. mix ingredients, add water as needed (but not too much), when dough starts to stick if you pinch it knead and roll it in a bowl, plop it onto a floured surface and separate into two balls - one for crust and one for lattice topping. (you may need more dough, in my family we dont approve of wimpy thin crusts).
Filling: fill a large size bowl about as big in diameter as your pie tin, with 4-5 cups peeled figs cut in half, the juice of half a lime or lemon, 7 tbsp sugar or splenda, 1 tbsp cornstarch, some cinnamon as you like, little bit of nutmeg to taste, toss gently with your hands (esp. if your figs are reaalllly ripe) and fill dough covered pie tin. use about a 1/5 or 1/4 stick butter to dot the top of the filling then cover with lattice and seal.
bake 30 to 40 minutes 'til lovely and bubbling.
