Torta della Nonna is a popular Italian cake filled with custard cream and topped with pine nuts. Recipe courtesy of Cooking with Manuela
Ingredients: to make an 11 inches (28 cm) tart
For the dough (pasta frolla):
- 3 cups (450 gr) of all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (150 gr) of sugar
- zest of one lemon, grated
- one pinch of salt
- 6 oz (170 gr) of unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
For the custard pastry cream (crema pasticcera):
- 4 cups (1 liter) of milk
- half lemon (peel, in one piece)
- 6 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (75 gr) of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 gr) of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
For the top:
- 4 oz (115 gr) of pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- powdered sugar to decorate (optional)
Preparation time: 30 minutes to prepare, 1 hour in the refrigerator, plus 45 minutes in the oven
Directions:
1. Prepare the dough: in a food processor, add the flour, sugar, lemon zest, salt and the butter cut in pieces. Pulse until the mixture looks like a coarse meal. Add the vanilla extract, two eggs plus the egg yolk and mix only until the dough comes together. If by any chance the dough is too dry add a little bit (maybe one or two tablespoons) of milk. If too wet, add a bit of flour.
