The traditional torta Mantovana is a very simple, even frugal cake made in the city of Mantova. Pellegrino Artusi included it in his ground-breaking Scienza in Cucina, more than a century ago, but fleshed it out, as it were, substantially increasing the butter and eggs, both expensive ingredients at the time. So this is a wealthy variation on the simpler traditional Mantovana.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/3 cups (160 g) cake flour
- 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (150 g) butter
- 1/2 cup less two tablespoons peeled almonds and pine nuts
- 1 whole egg + 4 yolks
- Grated lemon rind
Preparation:
Melt the butter in a double boiler. Beat the eggs and the sugar till the mixture turns pale yellow, then add the flour a bit at a time, and, finally, the butter. Pour the batter into a copper pan that's been buttered and dusted with flour and powdered sugar or bread crumbs, and sprinkle the surface of the cake with the nuts.The pine nuts should be halved crosswise, while the almonds should be peeled, quartered, and slivered. Take care that this cake not be more than a finger and a half high, or, at the most, two fingers high, and bake it long enough for it to dry out, in a moderate oven.
Dust it with powdered sugar and serve it cold.
A few observations:
- Artusi's quantities will give you what he specifies if you use a nine-inch (22 cm) pan. Bake it for an hour or so in a 350° oven.
- If you want an airier cake, add 2 teaspoons of baking powder to the batter. Commercial bakeries now often do.
- Torta mantovana is excellent with a dessert wine. It also keeps well for several days, wrapped in aluminum foil.
