Fig mostarda

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Fig mostarda is a tasty preparation with ancient origins, perfect to accompany cheeses and other savoury dishes. Figs have a very sweet taste that matches perfectly with mustard, which gives the typical spicy note to mostarda thanks to its intense aroma. The result? A tasty, irresistible, sweet and sour sauce.

Fig mostarda ingredients

Fig mostarda is commercially available ready to taste: Lazzaris prepare it with those ingredients:

  • Candied figs
  • Mustard flavouring
  • Glucose syrup
  • Sugar and water

For those who love to cook: you can prepare it at home. It’s a simple recipe, with few basic ingredients: 1 kg figs, 100 gr white wine, 500 gr sugar, mustard essential oil. In addition to the traditional recipe, there are many other versions – more or less spicy – to try, depending on anyone’s taste. Let’s see how to prepare a homemade fig mostarda and some of its tastiest versions.

How to prepare fig mostarda

Mostarda di fichi

The traditional recipe of fig mostarda has few simple steps, even though you must be patient because you need to respect the long rest periods of the preparation.

Here you are the steps to prepare a traditional fig mostarda:

  • Peal figs, cut them into chunks and save for later.
  • Add wine, sugar, and a glass of water in a pan, set it over low heat and bring the ingredients to a boil.
  • Simmer for 2 more minutes then add to mixture the figs chunks you have previously cut.
  • Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes homogeneous and syrupy.
  • Add mustard essential oil. the quantity depends on anyone’s taste and on the result you want to obtain: the more mustard you add the more spicy your mostarda will be.
  • Here we are at the final step: your mostarda is ready. Let it cool and then pour your mostarda into sterilized pots in order to properly preserve it.

Fig mostarda versions

There are many versions of the traditional recipe of fig mostarda, here below we present you our selection.

  • Fig mostarda and cinnamon

Another version of the traditional fig mostarda is the one with cinnamon: a spicy preparation which celebrates autumn and its tastes. How to prepare it? You just need to follow the traditional recipe and add – as final touch while the preparation is cooling – a teaspoon of cinnamon powder, just before pouring into pots.

If you are thinking about other possible parings for this kind of sauce, the most recommended ones are boiled meats, roast beef or roast pork.

 Spicy fig mostarda

The traditional fig mostarda it’s already slightly spicy, but the classic recipe can be enriched, if you prefer a preparation with a stronger flavour.  Mustard essential oil gives a spicy touch to mostarda, those who love strong flavours can add one or two chili peppers.

Following the traditional recipe, after 20 minutes cooking, add chili pepper (first of all chop the chili peppers and remove all seeds). Cook for 10 more minutes and pour into pots.

  • Prickly Pears mostarda

This recipe comes from the Sicilian peasant tradition, it’s an ancient and often forgotten preparation. A spicy mostarda to be discovered.

How to prepare it? 20 prickly pears, 100 gr starch, 100 gr chopped almonds, a handful of cloves, a teaspoon of cinnamon, orange zest. For this preparation you need to extract prickly pears juice, add starch and let simmer on low heat until the mixture reaches a thick consistency. Turn the fire off and add orange zest and chopped almonds. Let cool, add cloves and cinnamon. Pour the preparation into glass pots covered with bay leaves and let it air dry for a few days.

Fig mostarda: pairings

Abbinamenti per mostarda di fichi

We have learned how to prepare fig mostarda in many different versions, which are the suggested pairing to taste it? This preparation matches perfectly with cheeses, in particular with the marbled or mature ones, such as pecorino romano.

A very surprisingly pairing is the one with burrata: a fresh cheese with a delicate taste, try it with fig mostarda and a piece of toasted bread.

Not just cheeses: fig mostarda can be tasted also with cold meats or grilled meat. Choose a spicy fig mostarda for boiled meats: such a delicate dish matches perfectly with the strong flavour of a spicy sauce.