I admit it, I am a fig-aholic. And pretty nutty about goat’s cheese, too. I am always glad I ate chevre for the first time in country France. It’s forever linked in my memory with a sunny lunchtime by a village well, tasting it and finally realising why people loved it so much.

Figs I have always known, picking them off friends’ trees as a small child and gorging on them, sun warm and sugar sweet. Next best were some golden fleshed green figs in a market in Kashgar in the far west of China. Pure ambrosia!

This recipes blends three favourite flavours and can be varied by substituting the goats cheese for stracchino (another addiction) or gorgonzola. Enjoy!

PROSCIUTTO FIGS AND GOATS CHEESE

8 fresh figs

8 tablespoons soft goat's cheese
8 thin slices prosciutto
extra virgin olive oil
freshly grated black pepper
4 very thin slices french bread
honey
thyme leaves
mesclun - mixed greens

Cut figs almost through in quarters. Fill each with 1 tablespoon soft goat's  cheese. Press together and wrap each with a slice of prosciutto. Place on a tray and bake in a preheated 190C oven for 10 minutes. Bake at the same time on another tray, french bread drizzled with olive oil. The bread should be crisp by the time the figs are cooked. Place a mound of mesclun on each plate and sprinkle with a little oil and pepper. Add a slice of bread and two stuffed figs and more pepper to each plate and drizzle with some honey and scatter a few thyme leaves.
Serves 4.