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[1] A delicious strata for breakfast, brunch, or lunch (photos #1 and #2 © California Figs).
[2] You can use any dried figs you like, but purple figs will show up best in the strata.
[3] Fresh Italian hot sausage. You can use hot or mild sausage in the recipe (photo © Fresh Direct).
[4] Grated Parmesan cheese. The cheese always tastes better when it’s fresh-grated (photo © London Deposit | Panther Media).
[5] Here’s a slight bit of food fusion: Spain’s most famous cheese, Manchego, in an Italian strata (photo © Iberian Foods).
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The first week in November is National Fig Week. We have a delicious new recipe below, for a strata. A strata is a baked Italian egg casserole, delicious for breakfast, brunch, or a light lunch with a green salad
We’ve also linked to 25+ more recipes we’ve previously published, that use figs for cocktails, breakfast, mains, and desserts.
Are you ready for a fig fest?
> The history of figs.
> Types of figs, and ways to use figs at every meal.
> Ways To Use Dried Figs
> Ways To Use Fig Spreads
> Ways To Use Fresh Figs
RECIPE: FIG & SAUSAGE STRATA
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups half-and-half
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 ounces spicy Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
10 ounces California dried figs, stems removed and roughly chopped
4 ounces Manchego cheese, crumbled
Preparation
1. PREHEAT the oven to 325°F. Use the butter to grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
2. WHISK together the eggs, half-and-half, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, and sage in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
3. FOLD in the cooked sausage and figs. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the Manchego cheese. If you’d like figs visible on the top of the strata after it is baked, reserve a few pieces and carefully place them on top about halfway through the cooking time.
4. COVER with foil and bake for 25 minutes. When done, the strata should be set and only slightly jiggle when the pan is moved from side to side. If the center appears liquid, re-cover with the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Once set…
5. REMOVE the foil and bake another 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes and then cut into 8 portions to serve.
MORE FIG RECIPES
Figs are often thought of for sweet recipes: fig scones, tarts, chocolate truffles, and of course, figgy pudding, a popular Christmas pudding.
Figgy foods aren’t just for sweet dishes. Figs are often cooked with pork, lamb, and even on pizza. Add them to stuffing; and whenever a recipe calls for prunes, you can substitute figs. Figs, fresh or dried, are delicious in yogurt or in hot or cold breakfast cereals.
Cocktails
Fig & Maple Fizz Cocktail
Appetizers & First Courses
Arugula & Fig Salad With Popcorn
Belgian Endive Salad With Roquefort, Figs & Walnut Oil
Bitter Greens Salad With Figs & Grilled Cheese Croutons
Brie Torte With Fig Jam Appetizer
Fig & Brie Bruschetta
Fig, Goat Cheese & Pancetta Crisps
Figgy Blue Cheese Bacon Bites
Figs In A Blanket With Blue Cheese & Prosciutto
Grilled Halloumi Cheese With Figs
Prosciutto & Fig Appetizer Pinwheels
Mains & Sides
Chestnut, Fig & Honey Stuffing
Honey Balsamic Fig Glaze For Ham
Pasta With Fig Sofrito & Parmesan Cheese
Pickled Figs
Pasta With Prosciutto & Goat Cheese-Fig Sauce
Roast Loin Of Pork With Gingered Figs & Jalapeños
Desserts
Chocolate-Dipped Figs With Sea Salt
Dried Chocolate Dipped Figs
Fig Panna Cotta
Fresh Fig Compote
Goat Cheese & Fig Ice Cream From Charlie Trotter
Roast Figs With Pecans & Honey
Roast Figs With Hazelnuts, Honey, & Goat Cheese
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