DRY FIG LOAF
The origin of the dry-fig loaf is lost in the mists of time.
Once upon a time, people used to pick all the figs that trees would generously offer and make sure that none of them were wasted.
The conservation method was simple: ripe figs were dried in the household’s wood oven – after the bread was baked – and later chopped up with a kitchen knife, today replaced with a modern meat mincer. The resulting paste would be added with some walnuts, almonds and some turnip flower seeds while richer people would add some drops of “mistrà” home-made distilled liquor.
The fragrant dough would then be divided into small portions to be shaped like a salame and wrapped up in fresh fig leaves knotted with wool threads and become ready for a simple, but nutritious snack for our grand-parents.
The improved socio-economic conditions of our “marchigiani” people had almost abandoned this old “genuine and laborious snack”.
According to our company mission of “re-discovering” old and forgotten recipes of our traditions, we have resumed and worked on this forgotten recipe.
We pick our figs, we dry and mince them before adding some walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and anise seeds and drops of mistral liquor to the resulting paste of dried figs. The fragrant dough is then portioned and salame-shaped before being wrapped in the aromatic fig leaves. We knot the leaves with colourful wool thread, faithful to our “marchigiana” tradition.
We are proud to have restored this traditional recipe and are pleased to unveil this delightful delicatessen beyond Marche region borders.
In the hope to meet the finest modern connoisseur’s taste, we have revised the traditional recipe by adding some drops of bitter chocolate to the dough with the aim of not only reducing the sweetness of figs – which not everyone enjoys -, but also to meet young people’s taste.
In compliance with the latest food hygiene and safety regulations and according to the fig-loaf tradition, we have placed a patented micro-perforated liner between the dough and the fig leaf for two reasons: it allows the natural perspiration of the product while aging and prevents any contact between the fig leaf and the edible dough. Therefore, there isn’t any risk of contamination with potential yeasts and molds, as stated by the results of the enclosed chemical test.
Our nutritious and tasteful fig-loaf is today living a second youth because of its happy pairing with the exciting flavours of the great Italian cheese selection, especially with the “formaggio di fossa” (pit cheese), “pecorino” (goat milk cheese), “ parmigiano”, “il castelmagno” among others.
Our greatest ambition is that our customers appreciate our work of research, production and innovation of our Marche cooking and pastry tradition and, in general, of the Italian culture of culinary arts.
