Honeyed Fig Pastries (Plakous me Syka)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Plain flour — 200 g (7.1 oz)
- Olive oil — 80 ml (1/3 cup)
- Water — 80 ml (1/3 cup)
- Dried figs, finely chopped — 200 g (7.1 oz)
- Honey — 3 tbsp
- Ground cinnamon (optional, if available) — 1/2 tsp
Method
- Combine the flour, olive oil, and water in a bowl to form a smooth, firm dough.
- Rest the dough for 10 minutes, then roll out thinly and cut into small squares.
- Mix the chopped figs with 2 tablespoons of the honey to form a paste.
- Place a small spoonful of the fig paste in the centre of each square and fold over to seal into a parcel.
- Arrange on a baking tray and bake at a moderate heat (around 180°C) for 15-20 minutes, until golden.
- Drizzle with the remaining honey while still warm.
Introduction: Small pastries filled with chopped figs and honey, baked until golden — a treat for festival days.
Cultural Background: Figs, abundant across the Greek islands and mainland, were dried and used generously in sweet cooking, and small stuffed or layered pastries sweetened with honey (plakous, an early relative of the word ‘placenta’ cake) were a popular festive dessert.
Tips: Seal the pastry edges firmly by pressing with a fork to keep the filling from leaking during baking.
Variations: Chopped dates or raisins can replace some of the fig filling.
Nutrition: Approx. 260 kcal per pastry.
FAQs:
Q: What does plakous mean?
A: It refers broadly to a flat cake or pastry, an ancestor of the word later used for layered festive cakes.
Q: Can these be made ahead?
A: Yes, they keep well for a day or two in an airtight container.
- Plain flour — 200 g (7.1 oz)
- Olive oil — 80 ml (1/3 cup)
- Water — 80 ml (1/3 cup)
- Dried figs, finely chopped — 200 g (7.1 oz)
- Honey — 3 tbsp
- Ground cinnamon (optional, if available) — 1/2 tsp
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