Ciao a tutti! I had such fun last night with my new Italian for Beginners class in Didsbury village and everybody loved my Torta al Limone that I’ve decided to share the recipe with everybody! When I’m not teaching Italian in Manchester I’m passionate about Italian cooking and run cookery classes. If interested, just get in touch: Hello@learnitalianmanchester.co.uk
Happy baking:
Torta al limone con Polenta
Ingredients
• 75ml rapeseed oil or sunflower plus extra for the tin
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 50g ground almonds
• 50g polenta
• finely grated zest 2 unwaxed lemons
• 140g golden caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 225g natural yogurt
FOR THE LEMON SYRUP
- 85g caster sugar
- juice 2 lemons (about 5 tbsp)
1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly oil a 20cm round x 5cm deep cake tin or any other tin shape of your choice, and line the base with baking parchment. For the cake, put the flour, baking powder, ground almonds and polenta in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and sugar, then make a dip in the centre. Beat the eggs in a bowl, then stir in the yogurt. Tip this mixture along with the oil into the dip, then briefly and gently stir with a large metal spoon so everything is just combined, without over mixing.
2. Spoon the mixture into the tin and level the top. Bake for 40 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil for the final 5-10 mins if it starts to brown too quickly.
3. While the cake bakes, make the lemon syrup. Tip the caster sugar into a small saucepan with the lemon juice and 75ml water. Heat over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Raise the heat, boil for 4 mins until slightly reduced and syrupy, then remove from the heat.
4. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool briefly in the tin. While it is still warm, turn it out of the tin, peel off the lining paper and sit the cake on a wire rack set over a baking tray or similar. Use a skewer to make lots of small holes all over the top of the cake. Slowly spoon over half the lemon syrup and let it soak in. Spoon over the rest in the same way, brushing the edges and sides of the cake too with the last of the syrup.
Buon appetito!