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1
In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse the almonds with the fennel and aniseeds, breaking them down into coarse crumbs.
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2
Add 1 cup flour, the butter, sugar, and salt and pulse ten or twelve times until it takes on the texture of coarse crumbs.
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3
Add the egg mixture through the feed tube and pulse eight or ten times, just until the pastry begins to take on a cohesive form.
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4
Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured work space and gently form it into a ball.
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5
Flatten the ball and press the dough onto the surfaces of a buttered 10-inch tart tin with a removable bottom.
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6
Cover the pastry-lined tin in plastic wrap and freeze it for 1/2 hour.
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7
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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8
Prick the surface of the pastry with a fork and bake it for 12 to 14 minutes or until it has firmed and is of the palest gold color.
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9
Cool the pastry thoroughly.
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10
In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, bay leaf, aniseeds and fennel seeds, and, over a lively flame, bring to a simmer.
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11
Lower the flame a bit and permit the cream to infuse the aromatics and to reduce its volume by one-third.
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12
Remove the pan from the flame, cover it, and permit it to cool.
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13
Strain the cream and add the egg and the confectioners sugar, blending the components carefully.
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14
Starting at their bases, vertically slit the figs almost in two, leaving the stem end intact.
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15
Stuff each fig with an almond, press the halves together, and stand each fig upright over the base of the pastry.
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16
Carefully pour the scented custard around the figs.
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17
Dust the top of the crostata with the brown sugar and bake it at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until the custard is set and crusted a dark gold from the sugar, the stems of the figs are slightly charred, and the edges of the pastry nicely colored.
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18
Cool the crostata for 10 minutes on a rack.
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19
Remove the tins sides and permit the crostata to cool an additional 20 minutes.
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20
Present it then or serve it at room temperature.
