Ported Stuffed Figs

Dried figs get simmered until plump, then soaked overnight in port wine. The next day, each fig is sliced open in an X pattern, filled with a spoonful of ricotta, and crowned with a whole almond pressed into the cheese. Three ingredients plus the port, and you have something that looks like it came from a caterer.

The overnight port soak is where the magic happens. The figs absorb the wine slowly as they chill, taking on a deep, boozy sweetness with notes of berry and spice that dried figs on their own don’t have.

Simmering the figs in water first rehydrates them so they’re soft and pliable enough to absorb the port. Skip this step and the dried figs stay too firm to open cleanly and don’t soak up the wine.

The ricotta filling is mild and creamy, a cool counterpoint to the intense sweetness of the port-soaked fig. The almond adds a crunch that completes each bite.

Chef Tips

• Slice the X just deep enough to open the fig without cutting all the way through. You want a flower-like shape that holds the ricotta.
• Use whole-milk ricotta for the creamiest filling. Low-fat ricotta is grainy and watery.
• Assemble the day you serve. The figs can soak for up to two days, but fill them with ricotta no more than a few hours before serving or the cheese gets soggy.

Variations

• Mascarpone filling: Swap ricotta for mascarpone for an even richer, silkier filling.
• Blue cheese bite: Fill with crumbled Gorgonzola instead of ricotta for a savory, cocktail-party version.
• Honey drizzle: Finish with a thin drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for a sweet-salty contrast.