Our wonderful former employee Theresa – as some of you may already know – studied at the Slow Food University in Piedmont, where she brought back some of the most exciting culinary experiences and friendships. She has a special relationship with Josè Noè, the Piedmontese hazelnut farmer and roaster, whose wonderful, gently roasted hazelnuts, made just for us à la minute, have been part of our range since this year. These little natural chocolates aren't just delicious with cheese! They're also wonderful for baking, as Theresa demonstrates in the following recipe for the original Piedmontese Torta di Nocciole, which she baked for my beloved big sister Anaïs's birthday!
" I learned the recipe for Torta di Nocciole during my studies in Piedmont. It's one of the region's most famous dolci —no wonder, since the hills south of Turin are home to hazelnut trees, in addition to vines. The typical regional variety, Tonda Gentile, is of such quality that this cake actually only requires two additional ingredients.
I sometimes add a pinch of very finely ground coffee beans, which beautifully enhances the roasted flavor of the hazelnuts. Ground cocoa beans or—for those who prefer a fresher flavor—a little lemon zest (in small doses) also add a lovely aroma.
Anaïs' birthday is a wonderful opportunity to finally bake the cake again – of course in the original version without flour, which has also earned it the nickname Senzafarina in Piedmont ."
Ingredients:
- 400g ground Piedmont hazelnuts (of course only from Josè ;)
- 8 eggs
- 200g sugar (I chose light muscovado sugar because it adds a subtle sweetness and some caramel notes) (which we also have in our store)
Preparation:
Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Then carefully beat the egg yolks until creamy and light in color. Gradually add the sugar and continue stirring until the sugar crystals have dissolved. Stir in the ground hazelnuts. Finally, fold in the beaten egg whites. Do not stir, but ensure that you have a light and fluffy mixture (similar to a classic biscuit). Pour the cake batter into a 28 cm diameter baking pan lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated oven on the middle rack at 180°C for approximately 30-40 minutes. If necessary, place a sheet of baking paper on the cake to prevent the surface from overbrowning.
Allow the Torta di Nocciol e to cool in the tin and dust with icing sugar before serving.
