Torta Della Nonna (Grandma's Cake) Recipe
Take pine nuts beyond pesto with this silky Italian cake
Torta della nonna, torta di pinoli, grandmother's cake: Whatever you call it, this creamy dessert from Skye McAlpine is a true celebration of home-cooked Italian food. It comes from McAlpine's first cookbook, A Table in Venice, in which the From My Dining Table blogger opens our eyes to life in Venice beyond the storied canals—and all the seafood, bigoli and warm pastries that come along with it.
Make it a meal with our best Italian recipes.
Reprinted from A Table in Venice: Recipes From My Home. Copyright © 2018 by Skye McAlpine. Photographs copyright © 2018 by Skye McAlpine. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.
Torta Della Nonna (Pine Nut and Custard Tart)
Get the recipe for an Italian pine nut custard tart, or torta della nonna, from blogger Skye McAlpine's new cookbook, A Table in Venice.
Ingredients
- :::For the Pastry: :::
- 7 tablespoons (200 grams) salted butter
- 3 cups plus 3 tablespoons (400 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1½ cups (170 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- :::For the Filling: :::
- 2 cups (500 milliliters) whole milk
- 5 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup (125 grams) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (40 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 grams) pine nuts
Directions
- Make the pastry: Process the butter and flour in a food processor until you have a mixture the consistency of grainy sand. (If you don't have a food processor, rub the butter into the flour with your thumb and forefinger in a bowl.) Remove the blade, then sift the confectioners' sugar in with the flour and butter. Add the egg yolks, and use your hands to bring the dough together. If it feels too dry and crumbly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough using a rolling pin into a large disk that is roughly ⅛ inch (3 to 5 mm) thick. Gently lift the dough using the rolling pin and lay it into a 10-inch (27 cm) tart pan. Gently press it down into the nooks and crannies, then roll over the top of the pan with the rolling pin to cut away excess pastry. Prick the bottom of the tart all over with a fork. Cover the pastry with parchment paper and fill with baking beans or weights.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until dry to the touch, then remove the parchment paper and weights, put the tart shell back in the oven, and bake for 5 to 7 minutes more, or until the pastry is lightly golden. Remove and let cool briefly. Reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F.
- Make the filling: Add the milk to a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, and slowly heat until it starts steaming and little bubbles start rising around the edges. Take care not to let it boil.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Sift in the flour and slowly, while continuously whisking the eggs, gradually pour in the hot milk. Whisk in the vanilla. Return the mixture to the saucepan over gentle heat and simmer, whisking, until it thickens to a rich custard consistency, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Pour the custard into the pastry shell and top with the pine nuts. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and just set in the middle. Let cool briefly, then remove the rim of the tart pan. Serve warm.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 717 |
| Total Fat | 31.0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13.4 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.7 g |
| Cholesterol | 214.2 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 96.3 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.6 g |
| Total Sugars | 32.5 g |
| Sodium | 160.5 mg |
| Protein | 14.3 g |
