Torta della nonna, meaning “grandmother’s cake,” is a traditional Italian tart made with two beloved staples: pasta frolla and crema pasticcera. This rustic dessert features a rich, lemony pastry cream nestled between two layers of delicate, sweet shortcrust pastry, topped with toasted pine nuts and a dusting of powdered sugar.
INGREDIENTS
For the Pasta Frolla:
- 300g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 200g unsalted butter, softened
- 115g confectioners’ sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- Yolk of 1 large egg, room temperature
For the Crema Pasticcera:
- 100g granulated sugar
- 30g cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Yolks of 5 large eggs
- 500ml whole milk
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 30g unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
For the Topping:
- 50g pine nuts
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
INSTRUCTIONS
MAKE THE PASTA FROLLA
- Whisk the dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or using a rubber spatula in a large bowl), cream the softened butter and confectioners’ sugar with the lemon zest until smooth.
- Add the eggs: Mix in the whole egg and egg yolk until fully combined.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. The dough should form a smooth ball. Be careful not to overmix.
- Rest the dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
MAKE THE CREMA PASTICCERA
- Combine dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
- Whisk in egg yolks: Add the egg yolks to the dry mixture and whisk until smooth and pale, about 1 minute.
- Heat the milk: In a saucepan, combine the milk and lemon zest. Heat over medium heat until it just starts to simmer.
- Temper the eggs: Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid curdling.
- Cook the custard: Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Continue to cook for an additional minute.
- Finish the cream: Remove from heat and whisk in the butter until melted and incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Strain and chill: Pass the cream through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Cover the surface of the cream with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.
ASSEMBLE THE TART
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 175°C (350°F). Butter and flour a 9-inch (24 cm) tart pan or pie dish.
- Roll out the dough: Remove the dough from the fridge. Dust a work surface with flour and divide the dough into two portions: two-thirds for the base and one-third for the top.
- Roll the larger portion into a circle large enough to fit the tart pan, ensuring there’s extra dough to cover the sides.
- Line the tart pan: Carefully transfer the dough to the tart pan, gently pressing it into place. Trim any excess dough and prick the base with a fork.
- Fill with pastry cream: Once the crema pasticcera has cooled, spread it evenly over the tart base.
- Top the tart: Roll out the remaining dough to cover the top. Trim the excess and press the edges together to seal the tart, crimping with your fingers or a fork.
- Add the pine nuts: For the egg wash, whisk together 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush the top of the tart with the wash and scatter the pine nuts over the surface.
- Bake the tart: Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool and serve: Allow the tart to cool completely before dusting with confectioners’ sugar and slicing.
