Pine Nut Tart / Torta Della Nonna

This tart is enjoyed throughout Italy and many pasticceria will sell a slice with a coffee for breakfast or to take home. This particular recipe is the very best I know, although there are many regional variations. Please do use fresh pine nuts and store in the fridge to prevent them from becoming rancid. There is a huge difference in flavour between Asian and Mediterranean pine nuts – try to find Mediterranean ones if you can.

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Instructions

1.	For the pastry, put the softened butter, sugar and egg yolks in a food processor and mix together.
2.	Add the flour, lemon zest and salt and mix again until it comes together into a dough.
3.	Wrap in non-stick baking paper and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
4.	Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan.
5.	To make the filling, using a wooden spoon, beat the ricotta in a bowl.
6.	Add the vanilla extract, cream, egg yolks, sugar and three-quarters of the pine nuts and mix together.
7.	On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry and use two-thirds to line a 20cm loose-bottomed flan pan. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
8.	Prick the base with a fork, line with a piece of baking paper and top with baking beans.
9.	Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until golden.
10.	Remove the lining and baking beans. Pour the filling into the pastry case.
11.	Roll out the remaining pastry and cut into 1-cm/½-inch strips, the same length as the diameter of the tart.
12.	Use the strips to make a lattice decoration by layering half the strips at intervals across the surface and the other half across the first layer. Scatter the remaining pine nuts over the top.
13.	Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is firm to the touch.
14.	Leave to cool slightly, then serve warm, dusted with icing sugar.