Fig nougat

Fig nougat, called «libretto» («little book») in many villages («lu lëbbrattë» in dialect), has nothing to do with sugar and egg-white nougat: it is made with dried figs opened like a book and layered with toasted almonds, dark chocolate and candied citron.

Each layer is moistened with a drop of vino cotto and scented with cinnamon; then everything is pressed in a rectangular mould, the «torchietto», and left to rest for days. It is served in thin slices.

• 500 g soft dried figs
• 150 g toasted almonds
• 100 g dark chocolate
• 50 g candied citron in thin strips
• Half a glass of vino cotto (or cooked must)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Icing sugar to finish

1. Remove the stalks from the figs and open them in half, without separating the two sides, like a book.
2. Brush them with a little vino cotto and leave them to soften for 15 minutes.
3. Line the mould with baking paper and lay a first layer of opened figs, close together.
4. Cover with almonds, chocolate shavings, a few strips of citron and a sprinkling of cinnamon; moisten with a drop of vino cotto.
5. Continue in layers until the mould is full, finishing with figs. Cover with paper, put a weight on top (a board with a few jars) and leave in a cool place for 2–3 days.
6. Turn the nougat out of the mould, dust with icing sugar and cut into thin slices.

• Choose soft figs: very dry ones do not stick together.
• For a shinier nougat, cover it at the end with a layer of melted chocolate.
• Wrapped in paper and kept cool, it lasts through the holidays.

We do not have photos of this sweet yet: the image is an illustration made for this page. If you have a photo to share, write to us.

Figs were dried in the summer sun on cane racks and kept for the winter. At Christmas they became the sweet of farming families, who did not need sugar: figs, nuts and vino cotto were enough.

Chocolate and candied citron came later, in the festive versions. The mould used to press it, the «torchietto», was a small wooden tool handed down in the family.