There are hundreds of fig varieties cultivated across the country and numerous Slow Food Presidia.
Fresh figs pair perfectly with cured meats, especially prosciutto, but also with bresaola, or wrapped in pancetta and warmed in the oven; they are also an ideal match for fresh goat cheeses.
Whether natural, caramelized, in sweet-and-sour preparations, dried, stuffed with nuts, or turned into jam, figs are always wonderful, and their versatility allows us to enjoy them in different forms and textures all year round.
From appetizers, or as toppings for gourmet pizzas and creative bruschette—for instance with gorgonzola or feta, perhaps au gratin—to first courses such as ravioli and casoncelli fillings, figs never disappoint. They can elevate even a simple salad and shine in desserts: covered in chocolate and dusted with coconut, or in the most traditional tarts.
The fig is one of the oldest fruits cultivated by humankind: traces of its presence appear in sacred texts, and although its sweet, delicate pulp makes it seem fragile, the fig tree is in fact resilient and highly adaptable.
Few fruits tell the story of the Mediterranean as well as the fig. A symbol of fertility and abundance, companion to ancient tables and rural households, this fruit found in Veneto a land of choice, becoming part of the commercial trade of the Serenissima.
Venice, a maritime and mercantile power, was not only a crossroads for spices and Oriental silks but also for the produce of the Venetian countryside. Among these were figs: fresh in season, dried for the winter, valued for their energy and long shelf life. Venetian merchants carried them along trade routes, while in the markets of the lagoon city, local figs mingled with varieties from Southern Italy, Greece, and the Levant.
Among the specialties were dried figs strung into necklaces, easy to transport and eat during travels, and the prized varieties from the Venetian countryside, such as the figs of Verona and Padua, which graced noble and monastic banquets. The fig’s seasonal cycle—summer abundance, autumn preservation, winter consumption—thus intertwined with Venetian commerce, which turned a humble fruit into a trade commodity over the centuries.
Even today, among the best-known local varieties are the “Fiorone” of Loria (Treviso), early and juicy; the “Brogiotto Nero” of Padua, with its deep purple color and full flavor; and the green figs of Verona, much appreciated fresh at the end of summer.
Whether picked from the tree or transformed, the fig continues to gift us with its double soul: a fruit at once simple and regal.
