Name: Frustingo marchigiano
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 580 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 250 g Dried figs (stems removed, chopped); 300 ml Water (for cooking the figs); 50 g Stale white bread (thinly sliced); 75 g Walnuts (coarsely chopped); 50 g Whole almonds (coarsely chopped); 30 ml Moka-brewed coffee; 125 ml Cooked grape must; 50 g Sugar; 35 g Mixed candied citrus peel (finely chopped); 15 ml Rum; 10 g Cocoa powder; 25 g Yellow maize flour; 25 g Tipo 00 flour; 22.5 g Fine breadcrumbs; 2 g Orange zest; 25 ml Extra-virgin olive oil (20 ml for mixture; 5 ml for tin and surface); 1 g Salt; 0.1 g Black pepper

Use sapa, a syrup made by reducing grape must. It is not ordinary red wine. This bread-based version includes a little maize flour alongside wheat flour; it is not a polenta cake.

Make ahead Make it the day before serving so the cooled mixture can settle before slicing.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 1 hr 15 min
Rest: 8 hr
Serves: 12
Difficulty: Easy

Frustingo marchigiano

Prep 25 min · Cook 1 hr 15 min · Rest 8 hr · Serves 12 · Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

Skip to the method

12 servings

250 g9 oz
Dried figsstems removed, choppedstems removed, chopped
300 ml1¼ cups
Waterfor cooking the figsfor cooking the figs
50 g1¾ oz
Stale white breadthinly slicedthinly sliced
75 g2¾ oz
Walnutscoarsely choppedcoarsely chopped
50 g1¾ oz
Whole almondscoarsely choppedcoarsely chopped
30 ml2 tbsp
Moka-brewed coffee
125 ml½ cup
Cooked grape must
50 g4 tbsp
Sugar
35 g1¼ oz
Mixed candied citrus peelfinely choppedfinely chopped
15 ml1 tbsp
Rum
10 g1¼ tbsp
Cocoa powder
25 g3¼ tbsp
Yellow maize flour
25 g3¼ tbsp
Tipo 00 flour
22.5 g¼ cup
Fine breadcrumbs
2 g2 g
Orange zest
25 ml1¾ tbsp
Extra-virgin olive oil20 ml for mixture; 5 ml for tin and surface1¼ tbsp for mixture; 1 tsp for tin and surface
1 g¼ tsp
Salt
0.1 g0.1 g
Black pepper

Equipment

24 cm round pan at least 4 cm deep; adjust pan area for a different batch size
2 liter saucepan
Large bowl and shallow covered dish
Kitchen scales
Cooling rack

Method

Simmer the figs in the water over low heat for 30 minutes, covered loosely. Stir occasionally; retain the moist pulp and remaining cooking liquid. Add a spoonful of water only if the pan is drying before the figs soften.Simmer the figs in the water over low heat for 30 minutes, covered loosely. Stir occasionally; retain the moist pulp and remaining cooking liquid. Add a spoonful of water only if the pan is drying before the figs soften.
Put the bread in a shallow dish and cover with the hot figs and their liquid. Press until every slice is wet. Let the steam subside, then cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Mash into a thick, coarse paste.Put the bread in a shallow dish and cover with the hot figs and their liquid. Press until every slice is wet. Let the steam subside, then cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Mash into a thick, coarse paste.
Heat the conventional oven to 180°C. Use part of the reserved 5 ml oil to grease the tin. Mix the fig paste with walnuts, almonds, coffee, sapa, sugar, candied peel, rum, cocoa, zest, salt, pepper and the 20 ml oil. Fold in both flours, then the breadcrumbs.Heat the conventional oven to 350°F. Use part of the reserved 1 tsp oil to grease the tin. Mix the fig paste with walnuts, almonds, coffee, sapa, sugar, candied peel, rum, cocoa, zest, salt, pepper and the 1¼ tbsp oil. Fold in both flours, then the breadcrumbs.
Press into the pan in an even layer about 2.5 cm deep, choosing a smaller pan for a smaller batch or dividing a larger batch between pans to keep the same depth. Brush with the remaining reserved oil. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the surface has a thin crust and the center is set but still moist. Cool in the pan for 2 hours before cutting small slices.Press into the pan in an even layer about 1 in deep, choosing a smaller pan for a smaller batch or dividing a larger batch between pans to keep the same depth. Brush with the remaining reserved oil. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the surface has a thin crust and the center is set but still moist. Cool in the pan for 2 hours before cutting small slices.