Torta della Nonna
My happiest memories date back to the summers of my childhood, the summers away from the city, in the nice crisp mountain air, spending every waking hour of the day in the ice cold water of our miniature pool and rejoicing in the utter freedom of running around barefoot through the garden until our feet turned black. Those were the happy days, the ones I remember most vividly. But summers were also about annual family trips where my dad would bring us along on one of his business expeditions, ones that soon turned into exhilarating adventures and unforgettable vacations.
Italy was on our annual trip itinerary as dad had accumulated a number of suppliers and distributers over the years, to cater to the needs of his marble business. We would drive across the country, making stops at pretty little towns and detours into beautiful countryside roads. Of course the drives were punctuated with countless stops at cosy pizzerias and old town brasseries where familiar faces welcomed us in, reciting the daily specials. After the meal I would always order a "torta della nonna", a traditional Tuscan dessert, made of lemon flavored pastry cream, sandwiched between two layers of pie crust and sprinkled with pine nuts and sugar. It was one of my favorites. I spent quite a lot of time in Italy over the years that followed but those particular memories still had a special place in my heart.
Last week I stumbled on a recipe for a "torta della nonna" on Sarah Tuck's "From the Kitchen" and decided it's been way too long since I last had one. You can find the recipe below along with an array of photos I have captured over the years during my travels through various italian towns.
Italy was on our annual trip itinerary as dad had accumulated a number of suppliers and distributers over the years, to cater to the needs of his marble business. We would drive across the country, making stops at pretty little towns and detours into beautiful countryside roads. Of course the drives were punctuated with countless stops at cosy pizzerias and old town brasseries where familiar faces welcomed us in, reciting the daily specials. After the meal I would always order a "torta della nonna", a traditional Tuscan dessert, made of lemon flavored pastry cream, sandwiched between two layers of pie crust and sprinkled with pine nuts and sugar. It was one of my favorites. I spent quite a lot of time in Italy over the years that followed but those particular memories still had a special place in my heart.
Last week I stumbled on a recipe for a "torta della nonna" on Sarah Tuck's "From the Kitchen" and decided it's been way too long since I last had one. You can find the recipe below along with an array of photos I have captured over the years during my travels through various italian towns.
IngredientsPastry - 200g butter at room temperature, chopped - 3 cups all-purpose flour - 1 heaped tsp baking powder - 2/3 cup icing sugar - 1/4 tsp salt - finely grated zest of 1 lemon - 3 egg yolks - 1 whole egg Filling - 2 cups whole milk - finely grated zest of 1 lemon - 6 egg yolks - 1 tsp vanilla extract - 3/4 cup granulated or caster sugar - 3 tbsp cornflour - 1 tbsp plain flour - 1/2 cup of ricotta - 1/3 cup pine nuts - 2 tbsp icing sugar |
Directions[Pastry] In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, icing sugar, salt and lemon zest and give them a good stir with a fork. Add the chopped butter and start rubbing the dry ingredients and the butter using your hands until you obtain a crumbly mixture.
Add the egg and egg yolks and continue working the mixture with your hands until it all comes together in a clumpy ball. (If you feel the dough is not sticking together well add a teaspoon of cold water). Roll your dough into a log, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight. [Filling] In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla extract, sugar, cornflour, and flour until the mixture is completely smooth. Heat the milk and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Once the milk is simmering, add half of it to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the milk and egg mixture back into the remaining hot milk and continue whisking over low heat until the custard becomes thick and smooth. Remove from the heat, pour into a container, and cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge until it's chilled. Once chilled, stir the ricotta into it. Remove the pastry from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 170°C. Cut the pastry in half. Roll out the first half to line the base and sides of a 23 cm removable base tart tin (it should be at least 3 cm deep). Pour the chilled custard on top and smooth it with the back of a tablespoon. Roll out the second half of the pastry and place it gently on top of the custard. Seal the sides with the top by squishing gently around the rim and remove any excess dough. Sprinkle with pine nuts and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden. Dust with icing sugar and serve at room temperature. |
