Ricciolina cake (curly cake) is a traditional dessert of Emilia Romagna region. It is very well known in the Ferrara area and within the province of Mantua (where it is prepared without the shortcrust base). It is an ancient cake, and history tells that it has Renaissance origins and that the "tagliolini" that decorate its surface are nothing more than a tribute to the blonde hair of Lucrezia Borgia, duchess of Este Castle in Ferrara. The base of shortcrust pastry contains a filling of almonds and honey, and the on top decoration made with curls of noodles egg pasta after baking in the oven become crispy. It is usually served moist with almond liqueur.
INGREDIENTS (for 10 '' round cake pan)
FOR THE SHORTCRUST PASTRY BASE:
2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Sugar 90 g
1 ans 1/2 Butter
1 Egg
1 lemon zest
1 pinch Salt
FOR THE TAGLIOLINI:
1 cup Flour
1 Egg
FOR THE STUFFING:
3 cups Almonds flakes 300 g
1 cup Sugar
4 tablespoons almond liqueur
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons Butter
Powdered sugar to garnish
PREPARATION
For the shortcrust pastry, knead the flour quickly with the
sugar, egg, butter, salt and lemon zest, make a smooth dough and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes wrapped in saranwrap.
Knead the flour and egg, roll out a dough
thin and make some tagliolini.
To obtain the filling, mix the almonds with sugar, honey and flour.
Roll out the shortcrust pastry in a buttered mold
floured then filled with the filling of sugar, almonds and honey. Cover with the tagliolini on which you put some butter flakes on top.
Bake at 350 ° F for about 30 minutes.
Remove the cake from the oven, pour the liqueur immediately,
sprinkle with icing sugar and let it cool before serving.
