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Torta pignatta

17/11/2023

The Torta Pignatta is a traditional Abruzzese dessert that slightly resembles a cassata, with its rich stuffing hidden inside a shortcrust pastry shell. We have at our disposal the typical ingredients of the recipe, but I will add some small Italian touches in case there are any variants to suggest.

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry:

  • 500 g of type 00 flour
  • 200 g of sugar
  • 200 g of butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 yolk (for brushing)
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • A pinch of salt

For the filling:

  • 300 g of ground almonds
  • 300 g of sugar
  • 150 g of candied citron
  • 150 g of dark chocolate in pieces
  • 100 g of apricot jam
  • 50 g of powdered sugar
  • Cinnamon powder to taste
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • Grated zest of 1 orange
  • 4 eggs

Preparation

  1. Start by preparing the shortcrust pastry: in a bowl, mix the flour with the sugar, the softened butter, the eggs, the lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Knead until a smooth dough is formed, then shape into a ball, wrap in clear film, and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

  2. For the filling, in a large bowl, mix the ground almonds with the sugar, the chopped candied citron, the chocolate pieces, the apricot jam, the powdered sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, the grated lemon and orange zests, and finally the eggs. Mix well until a uniform mixture is obtained.

  3. Take the shortcrust pastry out of the refrigerator and roll it out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. Line a springform cake tin, previously buttered and floured, with the pastry, leaving a high edge.

  4. Pour the filling into the shortcrust pastry and level it well.

  5. Roll out the rest of the shortcrust pastry and cover the filling, sealing the edges well. With the pastry trimmings, you can decorate the surface of the cake with strips or shapes as you like.

  6. Brush the surface with a beaten egg yolk and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 45-50 minutes or until the surface is golden.

  7. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Curiosity

The Torta Pignatta is typical of the Carnival period, its shortcrust pastry shell conceals a “treasure” of rich and tasty ingredients like almonds, citron, chocolate, and candied fruits, symbolizing the surprises that are often hidden in the pignatte during the celebrations.

Torta pignatta