Stringhe in Umido (Stewed String Beans)

Stringhe are a Tuscan heirloom string bean; the word Stringhe means strings and the reason for the name is obvious -- when they're harvested fagioli stringhe are 40-50 cm long, or about 18 inches.
Stringhe are also called S.Anna beans, fagioli serpente "snake" beans. Again, references to their length. Production of stringa is limited to the Lucca,Valdarno (between Arezzo), Florence, and Prato, and you'll find them in local vegetable markets (production is limited enough that they're more difficult to find in supermarkets) throughout the summer.

Ingredients:

gr 600 string beans (washed, topped and tailed)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
A slice of tuscan prosciutto
2 large ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped
Basil
salt and pepper


Direction:

In a saucepan put some minced onion and garlic,tuscan prosciutto, chopped tomatoes, Stringhe beans (string beans), basil, olive oil, salt and a little water. Cook slowly until everything is well cooked and juicy.

Black Figs Tart

Hello everyone !

After my 2 months break (i spent my Honeymoon in French Polinesia and California) i'm back again in the "old world".

Sorry about this long absence,but now i'm all freshened up and ready to bring you new recipes...
This morning  my father came back from his farm (Maolina) with a basket full of figs and so i got the inspiration to make this...

Figs are the only fruit to fully ripen and semi-dry on the tree.
Wrapped in a thin, deep-purple to black skin, the juicy, red-pink pulp of this fig is packed with small, edible seeds. The flavor is sweet and floral, reminiscent of honey. A slight shriveling or cracking near the stem end is caused by the sun and is a common characteristic.
High in fiber, figs are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, magnesium, thiamine, potassium and protein. Figs are considered to be an antibacterial and anti-ulcer food, as well as a natural laxative.

Ingredients for 8
2 ½ cups flour, 1 ½ cups sugar, 2 ½ sticks softened unsalted
butter, a
heavy 1/2 cup figs preserves, 2 egg yolks, 5 crisp sweet
apples, 1 heavy cup wallnuts.
Preparation
Soften butter and combine with eggs, sugar and flour. Work
the dough until the consistency is soft and delicate. Prepare
a mold on a shallow-edged baking sheet with parchment
paper. Smooth dough onto the full surface of the mold.
Spread with figs preserves. Slice figs and layer on top
of the preserves. Sprinkle the figs lightly with sugar and
scatter the wallnuts.
Bake 30 minutes at 350F. Dust with confectioner's sugar,
cut into squares and serve.