Figs in a Blanket

This dish was inspired by a late-night snack at Fat Possum Hollow last summer. I had brought along walnuts and also some figs I'd picked that morning from one of our trees for a quick snack. The cabin I was staying in had one thing in the fridge: American cheese singles. Famished after a long day of shooting photos, I wrapped my figs and walnuts in the cheese slices and let out a little laugh as I thought to myself, "I am now eating figs in a blanket."

Figs are coming in right now, and this is the perfect use for those giant ones you only find this time of year. Look for figs that are just ripe and avoid ones that are already soft -- they won't fare so well in the oven.

Go on and play around with it: switch up the cheese by subbing in some blue or feta, or swap out the walnuts for marcona almonds. You really can't go too wrong here! What you'll end up with is a snack that is on the savory side of sweet due to the smoked cheddar and cracked black pepper, and they're just rich enough. They're so simple to prepare and, as a bonus, will probably elicit a bemused laugh or two from, you know, the usual pig-in-a-blanket enthusiasts.

Figs in a Blanket

8 extra large figs (medium ripe)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper (to taste)
1 tube crescent rolls
3 ounces smoked cheddar cheese (cut into 16 squares)
16 walnut halves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the figs in half and drizzle them with oil and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Using a pizza cutter, cut each pre-cut triangle of dough into half to create 16 long, skinny triangles. Stack one fig half, one slice of cheese, and one walnut half on each triangle. Starting at the fat end of the dough triangle, roll the fig, cheese, walnut stack. Place the resulting roll cheese-side-up on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all figs are used.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Allow them to cool or risk burning the heck out of your mouth -- trust me on this! (Makes 16 Figs in a Blanket.)