Pine Nut Cake - Pinolata

I love this cake because you can have it after dinner as a dessert or you can have it in the morning with coffee and it's great either way.  The traditional way to make this cake is very simple which is just mixing up the batter and pouring it into your pan.  But thanks to Andrew Carmellini of Locanda Verde in New York City, I use a different method.  He's a master at taking classic dishes and giving them a new twist and that is what he did with this cake.  In his terrific book, Urban Italian, he makes the usual batter but then he whips up a meringue and folds that into the batter. It makes for a wonderfully light cake.  He also adds lemon zest and juice to the cake, making it even more special.   He likes to slice this cake and makes an ice cream sandwich out of it, with chocolate ice cream!  Now there's an idea.  

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Pignoli

Brian and I go to an Italian conversation group on Sunday nights and tonight is the last class for this session. I wanted to take something to hand out to everyone and I figured what better then these Pignoli - Italian pine nut and almond cookies. Brian loves these cookies and I even love them, and I'm not much of a cookie person at all. These are very light and have no egg yolk or butter in them. And you can't believe how great they are with an espresso until you try them.

Pignoli

For a printer friendly recipe click here

adapted from Martha Stewart

makes about 35 - 40 cookies, depending on the size you make them

 
Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups pine nuts (plus more for garnish)
• 1 cup whole raw almonds (not roasted)
• 1/2 cup sugar (8 tablespoons, divided)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large egg whites, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread 1-1/4 pine nuts and the almonds on a baking sheet. Toast about 8 minutes. Let cool.

Grind nuts in a food processor with 6 tablespoons sugar until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Add orange zest and salt. Mix thoroughly.

Beat 2 egg whites until fluffy. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the vanila and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into nut mixture.

Line baking sheets with either Silpat or parchment. Form cookies into balls, about 2 teaspoons each. I use a melon baller and dip it in water when it gets sticky. Flatten cookies slightly. Brush with the last egg white and press a few pine nuts in the top for garnish.

Bake until slightly golden about 14-15 minutes.