https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/fig-and-pecorino-crescia-with-honey • Posted by Ebury Publishing
Many summers ago, when Mr Greenwood had snake hips, he took a sun-kissed holiday to the Le Marche region in Italy. It was here in a small hill-proud town, red roofed and dust cobbled, that he first laid eyes on Patricia; the cling of her gypsy top, the sway of her hips and her amazing little crescia flat breads – mounted by fresh figs over which she poured local honey and scattered shavings of young pecorino. In stumbling, stilted Italian, Mr Greenwood declared his undying love for Patricia and her perfectly formed crescia. In return, she shared her secret recipe. Makes 16 crescia Take 30 minutes to make; plus 1 hour 30 minutes chilling, and 30 minutes to calm Mr Greenwood down.
Many summers ago, when Mr Greenwood had snake hips, he took a sun-kissed holiday to the Le Marche region in Italy. It was here in a small hill-proud town, red roofed and dust cobbled, that he first laid eyes on Patricia; the cling of her gypsy top, the sway of her hips and her amazing little crescia flat breads – mounted by fresh figs over which she poured local honey and scattered shavings of young pecorino. In stumbling, stilted Italian, Mr Greenwood declared his undying love for Patricia and her perfectly formed crescia. In return, she shared her secret recipe. Makes 16 crescia Take 30 minutes to make; plus 1 hour 30 minutes chilling, and 30 minutes to calm Mr Greenwood down.
Sift the flour into a medium bowl and add the egg. Stir together with a knife, to make a roughboy dough. Stick your hands in there and work the mixture together, mopping up any dry bits of flour, until it feels smooth and elastic – it’s the same technique as when you’re making bread. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
Put the lard in a cup and squish down with a spoon to soften (sorry). Work it until it looks like a paste.
Lightly dust a clean board with flour and roll out the chilled dough into a large rectangle measuring around 20 x 24cm (8 x 9½in). Spread the softened lard all over it in a thin layer, then roll it up tightly from the longest edge. Cut the dough across its length into 16 even-sized pieces, put on a plate and chill for up to one hour until firm.
Dust a clean board generously with flour and roll out each piece of chilled dough to make a circle measuring around 7cm (2¾in) in diameter. Heat a heavy-based frying pan on the hob until hot and cook the dough circles in batches for a couple of minutes on each side. They are ready to turn when the tops turn a golden yellow and the undersides are sun-kissed golden.
Spread a little honey on each crescia and top with some pecorino shavings. Slice each fig into thin wedges, then put three slivers of fig on top of each crescia with some more pecorino shavings, a few leaves of rocket and a sprinkling of black pepper.