TORTA di MELE

Are there times in the year, when you experience the sensation of something excitingly beautiful--say the blue light of a wintery dusk, the sight of dry golden grasses in late September,  the first press of  hot sun on your arms in May, a perfect breeze through the kitchen window after being over a hot stove--and it transports you to another place?  For me, I'm Lady of the manor on gray, drizzly days and I'm back in my childhood home on cool Sunday's in the fall.  But in the Spring / Summer transition...I miss my future villa in the Italian countryside.  Who doesn't?  So this cake helps me to be there, in my villa, baking in the late morning after going to pick veg from my extensive Tuscan garden overlooking a valley, it's river and the walls of Siena to the south.  The moist, pudding-like texture turns out wonderfully as well with gluten-free flours.  Below, I've posted both versions of the recipe--gluten-free and All Purpose flour.

You need five apples.  I'm using the galas and senshus the boys and I picked at Riley's Farm.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and butter and flour an 11 inch cake pan.  I used this stoneware pie dish I found, because in my villa, I don't have a lot of cake pans to choose from.

The apples should probably get a rinse off.

Then a  photo op...

 

Pretty little apples!

Alright, back to work...

Peel and core the apples.  NOTE: the boys have carried off my apple corer to some fate worse than death out in the swamp.  

Quarter your cored apples.  I will improvise with a paring knife...

Slice the apple quarters into thin slivers. Apples are prepped so set aside.

In a mixing bowl add 1 1/4 c. sugar -- not flour, but sugar.

2 eggs...

And whisk it together.

Add a 1/2 c. of brown rice flour.  A teaspoon of tapioca flour and a teaspoon of potato flour. (or 1/2 c. of  all-purpose flour for you non-gluten-free peeps) and whisk.  Then add the milk, butter and vanilla.  whisk thoroughly.

Stir in the baking powder quickly and fold in the apples with a rubber spatula.

Pour mixture into the prepared cake pan.

Place the cake on the floor of your oven or the lowest rack for 10 minutes.

Move it to the center rack and bake for 30-40 minutes if using gluten-free flours or for 50 minutes if using A.P. flour.

When the toothpick, or skewer in this case, comes out clean, it's ready.

 

Aaaaaahhhhhhhh!  The Knight and I eat this for breakfast, afternoon snack, pre-dinner and after dinner.  Then go for our three mile jog. (I made the last part up)

RECIPE: GLUTEN-FREE FARMHOUSE APPLE CAKE
(from The Four Seasons of Italian Cooking)
makes 11 inch cake

• 5           apples
• 2           large eggs
• 1 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/2    c. brown rice flour
• 1 t.         tapioca flour
• 1 t.         potato flour
• 1/2 c.     whole milk (I've used 2 percent or almond milk)
• 7 T.        butter, melted (or non-dairy substitute)
• 1 t.         vanilla extract
• 2 t.         baking powder

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.   Butter and flour an 11 inch cake pan.
2. Peel, core and quarter apples.  Slice crosswise into thin slivers.  Set aside.
3. Whisk eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl until sugar is dissolved.  Stir in either the GF flour blend or your all purpose flour.  Then whisk in the milk, butter and vanilla until well combined.  Quickly stir in baking powder and fold in the apples with a rubber spatula.
4. Pour the mixture into prepared cake dish and bake on the flour or lowest rack in the oven for 10 minutes.   Transfer the cake to the center rack and bake 30 to 40 minutes for GF cake or 50 minutes for AP flour cake.  When the cake is golden brown and a small paring knife or skewer comes out clean after poking it in the middle, remove to a cooling rack to cool. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.

RECIPE: WHIPPED CREAM

• 3/4 c.   heavy cream
• 2 T.      granulated sugar
• 1 t.       vanilla

METHOD

1. Add cream sugar and vanilla into a a chilled bowl.  Mix with beater until soft peaks form.