Sykomaida, Cycladic Pressed Fig Cake
Sykomaida is an old island sweet from the Cyclades, made when the fig harvest came in and had to be kept: dried figs pounded to a paste, spiced, pressed into a cake, and cut thin through the winter. Figs are one of the cheapest dried fruits and carry all the sweetness the cake needs, so nothing else is added. What sets it apart from a plain fig loaf is the seasoning, toasted sesame and fennel seed with a knock of black pepper and orange, savory notes that keep it from cloying. Traditionally a splash of raki goes in; orange juice does the same job of loosening the paste here. Press it well and give it a day to set, then slice it paper-thin.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Dried figs, hard stems removed
- 3 tbsp Sesame seeds
- 1 tsp Fennel seed, lightly crushed
- 1/4 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
- 1 whole Oranges, zested, plus 1 tbsp juice
- 1/4 cup Walnuts, toasted and chopped
Method
- Toast the sesame seeds and fennel seed in a dry pan over medium heat until the sesame turns gold and smells nutty, about 3 minutes, then tip them out to cool. Toasting is not optional: it is where the seeds turn from raw and flat to fragrant, and it is most of the flavor in a cake this plain.
- Chop the figs roughly, then pulse them in a food processor until they clump into a sticky mass. If they resist, add the orange juice a little at a time. The figs are the only sweetener and the only binder here, so you are working them into a paste that will hold its own shape.
- Add the toasted seeds, black pepper, orange zest, and walnuts and pulse just to combine. Fennel and pepper against the sweet figs are what make this a Cycladic fig cake and not a lump of dried fruit, so keep them coarse enough to notice.
- Turn the mass onto a sheet of parchment and press it firmly into a flat disk about three-quarters of an inch (2 cm) thick, packing it tight. Wrap it and leave it at room temperature for a day, or overnight at least. Pressing and resting firms it into something you can slice cleanly into thin wedges.
- Serve in thin slivers. It is rich and concentrated, so a little is the serving, and it keeps for weeks wrapped in a cool cupboard.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 150 calories, 3 g protein, 6 g fiber, 5 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
