Fico Secco di Carmignano is a Tuscan dried fig, usually Dottato, paired with anise seeds into small joined pieces.
At Carmignano, dried figs carry the work of families and small orchards.
Slow Food describes fig trees growing at the edges of farms and a Presidium that encourages replanting and younger producers. The paired pieces, called picce, give this tradition its recognizable figure-eight shape.
The figs are split lengthwise, whitened by sulfur smoke and dried in the sun. After resting, a pale sugar veil called gruma appears. Two figs are joined into picce with anise seeds between them.
The municipal production rules place the dried fig in the hilly territories of Carmignano and Poggio a Caiano, in the province of Prato.
TuscanyServe these figs with Mortadella di Prato or liver pâté, or use them in desserts. Begin with a small savory tasting plate.
The municipal rules specify Dottato figs and paired, figure-eight pieces. They also allow drying without sulfur treatment when the producer states it on the label. Check the named producer and the product’s date rather than judging every batch by a single shade of color.
The municipal rules require a date on the label. Keep that information with the figs and follow the producer’s storage directions.
A pair of dried figs joined into a figure-eight shape, with anise seeds between them.
No. The municipal rules describe shades from gray and beige to hazelnut brown.
The municipal rules also permit drying without it, provided the producer declares this on the label.
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