Pinolata of Val d’Aveto
A typical dessert of Val d’Aveto, Pinolata is a cake with a crumbly consistency and a delicate flavour. A simple dessert to be enjoyed during breakfast.
Ingredients for the short pastry
220 g of soft flour, type 00
100 g of butter
70 g of caster sugar
2 egg yolks
A pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of marsala
Ingredients for the stuffing
3 egg whites
180 g of caster sugar
80 g of peeled sweet almonds
20 g of peeled bitter almonds
Lemon peel
Preparation
Start preparing the dessert by combining flour and butter, in small pieces, in a large bowl and process them with your hands until the butter melts.
Add sugar, egg yolks, salt and marsala to the mixture and mix until a firm, homogeneous dough is obtained. Wrap it in a film and let it rest in the fridge for about half an hour.
Once the time has elapsed, roll out the rather thin pastry and cover the cake tin, previously greased and floured.
Prick the bottom with the prongs of a fork.
Then move on to the preparation of the filling.
Lightly toast the almonds in the oven and when cold, chop them finely in the mixer with a tablespoon of sugar taken from the total amount.
Whisk the egg whites and start adding sugar, a little at a time, until you get a meringue. Once the perfect consistency is reached, add the chopped almonds, being careful not to loose the stiffness of the mixture.
Pour the meringue into the pan containing the pastry base, level it with a spatula and then complete the surface with strips of dough and sprinkle with pine nuts.
Bake the cake at 180 °C for about 50 minutes. When the cake has cooled well, dust the surface with powdered sugar.
