Makes 1 8 to 9-inch lattice topped pie

If you like figs, you will love this pie.  I adore figs.  When I was a kid, there was a huge fig tree right out the back porch door.  It covered most of the service porch and in late summer I would climb up it, sit in its branches and eat fat dark purple fruit until the corners of my mouth were sore from the acid in the sap at the stem end of the figs.  My mom would yell at me to leave enough for pies and jam.  She needn’t worry.  There were more than enough figs to satisfy me, the plethora of bees, and still have plenty for pies, preserves and canning.  She canned jars and jars of figs and my dad dried them.  It was a very large tree.  I hope you will enjoy my mom’s recipe for fresh fig pie.  Admittedly, with figs so expensive in the market, it can be a bit pricy to make if you don’t have access to a fig tree.  If you are new to pie making you may want to take a peek at Let_there_be Pie .

Perfect Pastry

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

The juice and zest of one lemon

1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root

5 to 6 cups of sliced ripe figs – (do not peel)

1/2 cup apple juice

About 6 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

1 egg beaten lightly with 1 tablespoon cold water – (egg wash)

Pre heat oven to 550°.  Make the pastry and chill.  Combine the cornstarch, sugar, lemon, cinnamon and ginger.  Sprinkle over the sliced figs and stir gently.   Stir in the apple juice.  Roll out pastry and line an eight to nine-inch pie pan.  Fill with the figs.  Dot the top with the pieces of butter and cover with a lattice top.  Paint the pastry with the egg wash and place in the center of the preheated oven with a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any drips.  Bake at 550° for five minutes, then reduce heat to 350° and continue baking for thirty-five to forty minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the juice around the figs is bubbling.  Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.