torta della nonna
{{Short description|Italian pastry pie}}
{{Italics title}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Torta della nonna
| image = Torta della Nonna.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| alternate_name =
| country = Italy
| creator =
| course =
| type = Cake
| served =
| main_ingredient = Flour, eggs, butter, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, full milk, powdered sugar, pine nuts
| variations =
}}
Torta della nonna ({{literally|grandmother's cake}}) is a dessert typical of the Tuscany region of Italy.
Description
Torta della nonna originated in the comune (municipality) of Arezzo, in Tuscany. It is a sweet pastry cake filled with vanilla-flavored custard and covered with pine nuts and confectioner's sugar. The creamy filling is flavored with fresh lemon zest. A flat pie pan or a taller springform pan can be used to bake the cake.{{Cite web |title=Torta della nonna |url=https://ricette.giallozafferano.it/Torta-della-nonna.html |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=Ricette di cucina - Le Ricette di GialloZafferano.it |language=it}} Torta della nonna is usually served as the last course of the classic Italian Sunday meal.{{Cite web |title=Rezept Tipp: Torta della nonna - Falstaff |url=https://www.falstaff.de/rd/r/torta-della-nonna-1/ |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=www.falstaff.de |language=de-DE}}
History
The origin of this dessert has been debated. According to some, its true origin can be traced to the Arezzo region, while others point to a more recent Florentine origin. Some sources say that the cake was born from a bet of Guido Samorini, a Florentine cook and restaurateur. According to the most common version, some customers, tired of the few desserts that the restaurant's kitchen offered, asked him for a surprise for the following week. Samorini presented them with the torta della nonna "that was so pleasing for its taste and novelty".{{Cite web |title=Ricetta Torta della nonna |url=https://www.cucchiaio.it/ricetta/torta-della-nonna/ |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=Il cucchiaio d'argento |language=it}}{{Failed verification|date=November 2024}} A passage from Pellegrino Artusi, however, casts doubt on the veracity of the story, and hints that the cake already existed many years earlier; the writer describes the cake saying: "...I found the dessert with pine nuts and custard a pleasant pie, a poor pastry..."{{Cite web |last=Alice TV |date=2017 |title=Come fare la torta de la nonna |trans-title=How to make torta de la nonna |url=http://www.alice.tv/scuola-cucina/preparazioni-di-base/dolci-e-dessert/come-fare-torta-della-nonna/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171112021124/http://www.alice.tv/scuola-cucina/preparazioni-di-base/dolci-e-dessert/come-fare-torta-della-nonna/ |archive-date=2017-11-12 |website=Alice TV |language=it}}
One variation of this dessert is torta del nonno, which includes cocoa, and almonds instead of pine nuts. Other variations include the addition of cherries inside the custard filling.{{Cite book |last=Tamantini |first=Tommaso |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eOGbhVkB8uAC |title=In Principio era il crostino |publisher=Tommaso Tamantini |pages=194 |language=it}}
See also
{{Portal|Italy|Food}}