Torta di Mele (apple cake), from Guido's Nonna's cookbook

Cooking guests learning Torta di Mele during Chef Guido's cooking class

My favourite Italian cookbook is called 'Il Talismano della Felicita' (The Talisman of Happiness) and was written in the 1920s by a Roman lady called Ada Boni. Her cooking lessons were favoured by the Roman aristocracy of the time and her book is a true bible of Italian cuisine. This recipe for 'Torta di Mele' comes from an early edition of 'Il Talismano', which I inherited from my grandmother. It is deliciously moist, because the apple slices are 'sunk' inside the cake mix. Locally grown apples have just come into season. They are so juicy and full of flavour  I often make this cake when we have friends over for afternoon coffee.

torta di mele (Guido's grandmother's apple cake)

TORTA DI MELE
100g of butter, 135g of sugar, 2 eggs, 135g of flour, 12g baking powder (not if you use self-raising flour), bread crumbs, 1 and a half to 2 apples (depending on size), icing sugar, a pinch of salt.

Mix butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until smooth. Mix in 2 egg yolks, then add flour and baking powder (you can use self-raising flour instead). Add a pinch of salt to enhance flavour. Add 2 firmly whipped egg whites. Grease a cake tin with butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Pour cake mix in the tin. If the mix is too thick you can add some milk or some plain yogurt. Cut apples into thin slices push them vertically into cake mix, so they will stand upright. Bake for about 40 min. at 150 C. Pronto in Tavola!

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