Festa Italiana

Maryann and Marie are co-hosting an event called Festa Italiana in which we're encouraged to share our favourite Italian dish or drink. It would be quite remiss of me not to take part and it's given me the perfect excuse to make one of my most favourite tarts. You always knew it was a special occasion when my mother would make this "torta".

Torta Meringata con Mele
[Makes 1x22cm/9 inch tart]

Pasta frolla
Filling:
2 apples, peeled, cored and grated
1 lemon, zested
250 grams caster sugar
4 eggs

Line the base of a 22cm/9inch loose bottomed tart pan with the pasta frolla. Set it aside while you make the filling.

Prepare the filling:

The filling will require 4 egg yolks but only 2 egg whites - the other 2 egg whites will go to make the meringue topping - set these aside until you are ready to use them.

Place the grated apple into a bowl and add the sugar and lemon zest - stir well to mix.

Add the egg yolks, one at a time, making sure they are fully incorporated into the apple mix before adding the next.

When this is done, whisk up 2 egg whites until soft peak forms.

Add a spoon full of egg white to the apple mix to slacken and then fold through the remaining egg white.

Bake the tart:

Pour this into your prepared pastry case. If you have too much filling, just pour it into a small heatproof dish and bake it separately

Place the cake pan onto an oven tray as the tart can release some moisture and bake in a preheated 160°C/320°F oven until golden on top and cooked through. If you feel that it's browning too quickly, cover with baking paper and foil and drop the temperature of the oven.

It will take around 40 minutes - the filling should be almost firm and the pastry cooked.

Now beat the remaining egg whites until soft peak form, adding a couple of tablespoons of caster sugar to sweeten the meringue.

Drop spoonfuls of meringue onto the cake and then roughly push it cover the top. No need to be precious as the roughness gives it some character.

Return to the oven and cook until the meringue has coloured - this should take about 5-10 minutes.

Let the tart stand in the pan until cooled before un-moulding.

This has a most amazing taste and texture - during cooking, the grated apples tend to rise leaving a lemon scented quasi-custard to form at the base of the tart. The top of the filling browns creating an almost caramelised apple layer. If that wasn't enough you have that marshmallowy softness of just baked meringue crowning the whole thing.

It's a tart that once tasted, you'll never forget it.

Festa Italiana