Writing in 1891, in his cooking guide La Scienza in Cucina e L’arte di Mangiar Bene (Science within the Kitchen and the Artwork of Consuming Effectively), Pellegrino Artusi introduces the potato as a tuber from the solanaceae (nightshade) household that was native to South America and launched to Europe within the sixteenth century. He goes on to notice that large-scale cultivation didn’t start in Italy till the start of the 18th century, as a result of “obstinacy of the plenty who have been averse to consuming it”, including that, little by little, the potato grew to become greater than accepted (by the poor in addition to the wealthy), due to its good style, potential to fulfill starvation and the best way it lent itself to being cooked in so some ways.
If my counting is right, of 790 recipes in that seminal ebook, 30 of them embody potatoes or a major proportion of potato flour. What is very fascinating is that despite the fact that the primary recipe that features potatoes is recipe 14 (a tasty-sounding brothy minestra with little gnocchi made out of potatoes, boiled rooster, yolks and cheese), plus 14 extra savoury potato recipes that Artusi waits to introduce, it isn’t till the chapter entitled Torte e dolci al Cucchiaio (Truffles and Desserts Eaten with a Spoon) that the potato is formally introduced. In recipe 661, budino di patate, a gentle, blancmange-style pudding that positively requires a spoon, is made out of floury potatoes, sugar, eggs, milk and lemon zest. In that very same chapter, and the previous biscuit and pastry chapter, 13 different recipes additionally embody potatoes or potato flour: three forms of biscuit, two souffles, a bake with amaretti biscuits, a shortcrust-type pastry, a candy focaccia, one other candy bread, one other budino (this time with almonds), and three desserts.
Within the first of these three desserts, potato helps almonds and chocolate. Within the second, potato flour thickens alongside almond flour to make a frangipane. However it’s the third cake that could be a full-on torta di patate (potato cake), which is prefaced by one of the best type of Artusi introduction: observant, humorous and anticipating anybody who is likely to be suspicious (or contemptuous) of the cake, and likewise encouraging readers to strive it for themselves. He actually satisfied me, not least as a result of this cake additionally comprises almonds, melted butter, 5 eggs and tons of lemon zest. I’ve realized from a barely much less profitable (however nonetheless greater than acceptable) try that the extra floury the potatoes, the lighter the feel. I’d go as far as to explain this cake as bouncy, even, satisfying in its texture, and an excellent lesson within the potato’s farinaceous chameleon capability. The tactic could be very simple.
Artusi’s serving suggestion is to bake the cake and serve it later. My very own suggestion is to go away the cake to chill fully, then lower it in half horizontally to make a lid and a base. Unfold the bottom with three or 4 tablespoons of lemon curd, jam or jelly, then cowl with the cake lid. Combine a tablespoon (or extra, to style) of icing sugar and the finely grated zest of one other unwaxed lemon right into a 250g tub of thick cream or mascarpone, then unfold this thickly on high of your potato cake.
Almond and potato cake with lemon curd and mascarpone
Makes 1 cake, for 8-12
500g floury potatoes, ideally of roughly the identical measurement
5 eggs
130g sugar
140g floor almonds
50g melted butter, plus additional for greasing
Grated zest of two giant unwaxed lemons
2 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
3-4 tbsp lemon curd, or lemon jam
250g tub mascarpone, or thick cream
1 tbsp icing sugar
Peel and quarter the potatoes, then steam or boil till tender. Both mash or cross the nice and cozy potatoes via a ricer immediately right into a bowl.
Beat the eggs with the sugar till pale and lightweight.
Add the egg combine to the mashed potato with the almonds, melted butter, grated zest of 1 lemon, baking powder and salt.
Butter and flour a 24cm cake tin (and/or line it with baking paper), then scrape the batter into the tin. Bake at 170C (150C fan)/340F/fuel 3½ for an hour, till a skewer or dry spaghetti strand inserted into the centre comes out clear.
Depart the cake to chill fully, then lower it in half horizontally to make a lid and a base. Unfold the lemon curd on the bottom half , then high with the lid. For the highest, you possibly can merely mud it with icing sugar; alternatively, combine the remaining lemon zest and the icing sugar into a bath of thick mascarpone or cream and unfold that thickly on the highest.
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