Italian Apple Pie

Nigella Says

There is something so cosy making about the way new technology recreates the recipe sharing traditions of older communities. This recipe is a case in point. Francesa Petracca, one of my Italian Twitter followers, tweeted a picture of her family’s Torta di Mele and where we are.

The English title Francesca gave to her Torta di Mele was Italian Apple Pie, and I have stayed faithful to it, although the finished product is really more of a cake. Whatever it is, it is just wonderful: simple to make, and alluringly rustic. I like it best served still warm, as a kind of pudding-cake, with custard, mascarpone or double cream (whopped or runny), but la famiglia Petracca prefer to eat slices as an accompaniment to a cup of tea or an espresso “in the company of lovely friends” Who can argue with that?

I used Pink Lady applies here, as I don’t peel the slices that go on top of the cake, and a firm, red-skinned apple works well and looks pretty. But it’s not worth going for a red-skinned apple that won’t hold its shape such as a Red Delicious so bear that in mind while shopping; the colour of the skin is not the crucial factor here. Perhaps I should mention that the original recipe, as posted on my website, stipulates that all the apples be peeled; what follows is my lazy version..

As ever with baking, all the ingredients should, of course, be at room temperature

I Say

This apple pie/cake was fantastic. I made the batter really quickly I did add a little extra water to the mixture to make it slightly less firm and more batter like before placing into my tray. I also didn’t use a springform tin I haven’t got one so I used my brownie tray and it worked fine, but I didn’t try for a nice concentric circles, straight lines worked fine for me.

I also added a little allspice to the cinnamon and sugar topping and that worked really well, and ok I perhaps added a little extra sugar to the topping as well.

After the hour of waiting I pulled it out of the tray and both myself and my wife had a slice with a cup of tea and it was fantastic. I even caught her going back for seconds later.

Ingredients

22-23 cm springform cake tin

100 g soft unsalted butter and more for greasing
250 g Plain flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
pinch of salt 
150 g  caster sugar 
2 eggs 
zest of 1 lemon 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
75 ml full fat milk at room temperature
3 apples crisp ones like Pink Lady

1 teaspoon of brown sugar 

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 

Method

1.      Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6, butter your springform tin and line the bottom with baking parchment

2.      Into a food processor, put the flour, baking powder, salt, 100g soft butter, caster sugar, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla extract, and blitz till it forms a thick, smooth batter. Then with the motor still running, pour the milk in gradually down the funnel to lighten the mixture.

3.      Halve 1 of the apples, then peel, core and chop one half into cubes, add these to the batter and either pulse to mix or beat in. Pour your batter into the springform tin.

4.      Quarter and core the remaining apples (including the unused half apple) leaving the skin on finely slice them and arrange in a pleasing concentric circles on top of the cake batter.

5.      Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle this over the applies then bake for 40-45 minutes by which time the cake should be risen and golden. Pierce with a cake tester, which should have only a few crumbs sticking to it when removed

6.      Leave to cool for 1 hour before springing it out of the tin to cut and serve warm, or leave to cool completely once out of the tin.

Lamb Ragu

Nigella Says

‘Ragout’ is French, ‘ragù’ Italian, and this meat sauce is certainly inspired by the Sicilian combination of sweet lamb, dried wild mint and crushed chilli flakes, though I’ve added an Anglo note with a little redcurrant jelly. Pappardelle, those egg-rich, wide ribbons, are my favourite here, but do choose any pasta you want. And if you can find a bit of fresh mint to add as you serve, then go for it.

I Say

This dish works it is a quick an easy pasta dish I browned the meat and then drained any fat off before putting the tomatoes and other ingredients in. I think I went a little overboard on the chilli flakes but the mint and other herbs worked very well.

If I were to do it again which I probably will, I would perhaps use some fresh chilli to reduce the intensity of the chilli flavour.

Ingredients

·         1.5 tablespoon(s) garlic infused olive oil

·         4 spring onion(s) (finely sliced)

·         1 teaspoon(s) dried mint

·         1 teaspoon(s) oregano

·         ¼ teaspoon(s) chillies (crushed)

·         250 gram(s) minced lamb

·         240 gram(s) chopped tomato(es)

·         1 tablespoon(s) redcurrant jelly

·         1.5 teaspoon(s) worcester sauce

·         1 pinch of salt

·         1 pinch of pepper

·         250 gram(s) pappardelle

For the serving

·         1 handful fresh mint

Method

1.       Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta, and warm the garlic oil in a small, heavy-based pan that comes with a lid, and cook the spring onions, stirring for a minute or so.

2.       Sprinkle in the herbs and chilli, stirring again before adding the meat. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, until it loses a bit of its pinkness.

3.       Add the tomatoes, redcurrant jelly, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, then give a good stir and bring to a bubble. Partially cover with the lid and simmer for 20 minutes.

4.       At the appropriate time, salt the boiling water and cook the pasta according to packet instructions (ours took eight minutes), and once cooked and drained, dress with the lamb ragù. Sprinkle a little bit of fresh mint onto each bowl to serve.