Walnut-stuffed figs
Recipe by Somer Sivrioglu, Efendy and Anason
İncİr & KayIsI DolmasI (Walnut-stuffed figs and almond-stuffed apricots)
Serves 4
Middle eastern favourites figs and apricots are stuffed with nuts, adorned with sticky molasses and served with a flourish of rose petals.
500ml (2 cups) milk
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
4 dried figs, stalks removed
4 fresh figs
60g (½ cup) walnuts or macadamias, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons grape molasses
2 tablespoons sugar
8 dried apricots
1 tablespoon almond meal
1 teaspoon icing sugar
2 tablespoons mascarpone
2 tablespoons pistachios, finely chopped
Dried rose petals, to serve
Heat the milk, cinnamon stick and cloves in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat, add dried figs and set aside for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Remove the figs from milk mixture and place on a board. Open the figs with a teaspoon and stuff 1 teaspoon of chopped walnuts inside. Mix the oil and molasses together in a bowl and then brush over the figs. Place the figs on prepared try and 10 minutes until soft. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, put the sugar and 250ml ( 1 cup) water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add apricots, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Remove the apricots from the syrup and leave to drain on paper towel.
Mix the almond meal, icing sugar and mascarpone together in a bowl. Make a pocket in each apricot with a teaspoon and stuff 1 heaped teaspoon of the cream and almond mixture inside. Use the teaspoon to smooth the exposed stuffing. Finely chop the pistachios and roll the cream side of each apricot in the pistachio pieces.
Serve figs and apricots sprinkled with dried rose petals.
