This fig and prosciutto tartine recipe is perfect for a special light lunch or an elevated appetizer. The saltiness of the prosciutto, the decadence of the fresh figs and the creaminess of the goat cheese over grilled sourdough baguette is a memorable combination. Add a drizzle of honey and few fresh basil leaves and each bite is positively swoon-worthy.
Figs are one of my absolute favorite foods - as evidenced with several fig recipes on the blog such as the Fresh Fig and Goat Cheese Salad. You might also enjoy the roasted plum salad or our authentic Salade Niçoise recipe.
French open faced sandwiches, tartines, have limitless combinations possible, but I think this fig, prosciutto and goat cheese recipe is pretty epic.
What is a Tartine?
A Tartine is an open-faced sandwich, very popular in France. Go to any bistro at breakfast or lunch and you will see Tartines offered on the menu. You can read my post about French Tartines here.
Tartines are not as popular in the United States yet (we love our sandwiches between two slices of bread!), but I love this lighter and sometimes more creative option of our everyday sandwich.
Tartines can be Savory or Sweet, dependent on the time of day and your preference. In France it is customary to eat sweet in the morning (usually served on a fresh baked baguette - click here for my super easy French baguette recipe) and for a mid-afternoon snack called le goûter.
In Italian, Tartines are similar to a Crostini.
Several restaurants in the US have helped to popularize the French Tartine - Le Pain Quotidien and Tartinery in NYC.
Ingredients
This recipe makes 2 tartines - you can easily double or triple this recipe.
- 4 fresh figs
- 1 3-oz pack of prosciutto. I love using Mangalica or Jambon de Bayonne from D'Artagnan, it comes pre-sliced and separated.
- 2 thick slices of large sourdough bread
- 4 tablespoons of fresh, soft goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 teaspoons of honey
- 8 leaves of fresh basil
- a pinch of French Sea salt to finish
The trick to making tartines
Tartines is all about the crunch of the bread and the toppings you put on it. Grilling the bread before making a savory tartine is absolutely essential. You can do this in a preheated oven on a baking sheet, but I prefer to use a pan over medium high heat with olive oil. Drizzle olive oil into the pan before putting your sliced sourdough bread. The drizzle a little more olive oil over the bread and allow to brown for 2-3 minutes before flipping over and browning on the other side. In total this should only take 3-5 minutes. You want a nice golden brown on your bread with a soft interior - don't over cook your bread!
Once you have your warm, grilled bread slices, the next trick is to beautifully arrange the ingredients so that it is as appetizing to look at as it is to eat. You also want to make sure that each bite is features of each of your ingredients, so make sure to slice the pieces small enough.
Tartine Variations:
These are only a few suggestions for French Tartine Recipes, by using different toppings you can create a wide variety of tartines!
Le Chef came up with a creative take on the Tomato Burrata and Basil Tartine by adding fresh strawberries. It really elevates the dish!
This recipe with figs and prosciutto is also delicious if you replace the goat cheese with creamy blue cheese or marscapone. You can also try using lightly grilled figs instead for even more sweetness.
For a vegetarian option I love spreading a thick layer of goat cheese topped with steamed asparagus, a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh thyme.
My favorite for brunch is a smoked Salmon Tartine is with cream cheese, smoked salmon, thinly sliced red onion, capers and a little bit of lemon zest and black pepper.
When to serve a Tartine
A Tartine makes for a perfect light lunch. Take a slice of bread, top with some fresh goat cheese, salty prosciutto and some fresh figs and voila! you have a delicious lunch. Accompany with a green salad topped with balsamic vinegar and olive oil and you would swear you have just lunched in your favorite French bistro.
Tartines are also the perfect way to start a dinner party. Make several tartines (you can vary the flavors you use) and cut them into small triangles to serve as an appetizer.
Where to find Fresh Figs
Figs are in season in the northern hemisphere towards the end of summer, beginning of September.
That being said, I have found fresh figs in may in my local grocery store. Trader Joe and whole foods often stock fresh figs too.
If you can't find fresh figs, fig preserves also work for this recipe.
Other Le Chef's Wife Recipes you will enjoy
Fresh Fig and Goat Cheese Salad with amazing honey dressing
Roasted Plum and Goat Cheese Salad
Prosciutto Salad with Melon and Burrata
About Le Chef's Wife
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (5 and 2) and I have a full time job in hospitality in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
Look inside our Kitchen with this recent Washington Post Article. We were recently featured on the TODAY SHOW for our recipes of French Onion Soup Gratinée and Moelleux au Chocolat. You can watch our full segment here:
I share our home cooking on Instagram, pinterest and tiktok. Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to receive my new recipes and have advance access to cooking classes. I look forward to cooking with you!
Fig and Prosciutto Tartine
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: starters, lunch
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
This recipe makes 2 tartines - you can easily double this recipe.
- 4 fresh figs
- 1 3-oz pack of sliced prosciutto. I love using Mangalica or Jambon de Bayonne.
- 2 thick slices of large sourdough bread
- 4 tablespoons of fresh, soft goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 teaspoons of honey
- 8 leaves of fresh basil
Instructions
- First, slice your sourdough bread about a ½ inch thick
- Heat your pan over medium high heat,
- Drizzle olive oil into the pan before putting your sliced sourdough bread.
- Then drizzle a little more olive oil over the bread and allow to brown for 2-3 minutes before flipping over and browning on the other side. In total this should only take 3-5 minutes. You want a nice golden brown on your bread with a soft interior - don't over cook your bread!
- Allow the bread to cool for a few minutes then spread your goat cheese thickly over each slice. (you don't want to spread the goat cheese on the bread when it is too hot or it will melt)
- Rip the prosciutto slices in half and bunch up on the tartine to add some volume to the dish. You can also lie the slices flat on the bread but it doesn't have the same visual effect. Chef's tip!
- Quarter your fresh figs and arrange the slices between the prosciutto bunches.
- Top with fresh basil leaves.
- Lightly drizzle honey over the top.
- Serve immediately.
- Bon Appétit!
Notes
Tartine Variations
Le Chef came up with a creative take on the Tomato Burrata and Basil Tartine by adding fresh strawberries. It really elevates the dish!
This recipe with figs and prosciutto is also delicious if you replace the goat cheese with creamy blue cheese or marscapone. You can also try using lightly grilled figs instead for even more sweetness.
For a vegetarian option I love spreading a thick layer of goat cheese topped with steamed asparagus, a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh thyme.
My favorite for brunch is a smoked Salmon Tartine is with cream cheese, smoked salmon, thinly sliced red onion, capers and a little bit of lemon zest and black pepper.
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