Recipes: »Aphrodisiac Food« by Olimpia Davies

Focaccia with figs and tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 250 g strong bread flour
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 7 g dried yeast
• 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 150 ml lukewarm water
• 5 fresh figs, sliced
• 10 mini tomatoes, halved
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 10 red grapes, halved
• 10 leaves fresh sage
• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C with a baking stone or a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the water. Leave for 5 minutes until foamy. Add the flour, salt and olive oi land mix until it all comes together. Transfer the dough onto a light floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
3. Shape into a ball and put into a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Leave to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size.
4. Turn the risen dough out onto a light floured surface and knead for 3 minutes, form into a ball then roll out into 1 cm thick oval, leave to rest for 10 minutes.
5. Top the dough with figs, tomatoes, onion, grapes and sage. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with extra olive oil. Put into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Lemon tart with figs and strawberries

Ingredients:

• 200 g butter, softened
• 75 g icing sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp duble cream
• 250 g plain all- purpose flour

1. In a stand mixer beat together the butter, sugar and salt until light about 5 minutes. With the whisk running add the egg and cream, mix until fully incorporated. Gradually, gently mix in the flour, do not over-work the dough because the pastry will be tough rather than crisp and light.
2. Turn the dough out onto light floured surface and with your hand bring the dough together into a ball, wrap in a foil and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 C.
4. Gris and lightly dust with flour a 20 cm tart pan.
5. Chilled pastry put on a lightly floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll it out to a 23 cm circle. Gently wrap the dough around the rolling pin and transfer to the tart pan. Press lightly to the bottom and the sides of the pan, cut off any excess of the dough. Lay a sheet of greaseproof paper over the pan and fill it with baking beans or rice. Place the pane on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. After that time lower the oven temperature to 160 C, remove the paper with the beans from the tart and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and lower the temperature of the oven again to 130 C. Prepare the tart filling.

Filling ingredients:

• 5 large eggs
• 250 g sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Juice and grated zest of 3 large lemons
• 175 ml double cream
• For decoration
• 4 fresh figs
• 5 fresh strawberries
• Mint leaves

1. In a large bowl combine the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract, whisk in the lemon juice and zest. Stir in the cream and whisk until just combined. Pour the mixture into a pitcher.
2. Put the tart pan back into the oven and slowly pour the filling into the tart case. Bake for 40 minutes until it just starts to set in the centre but should still be a bit wobbly.
3. Cool completely and remove from the pan. Decorate with figs and strawberries and keep in the fridge

Toasts with yoghurt, figs and peach

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of bread
• 200 g Greek-style yoghurt
• 1tbsp honey
• 2 peaches, peeled and sliced
• 4 figs, sliced
• Pecans, roasted
• Extra honey

1. Toast the bread in a toaster. Mix the yoghurt with the honey and spread it on top of each slice of toast. Top with slices of peach and figs. Drizzle with more honey and sprinkle with roasted pecans.