This is a rural cake but little else is known about its origins. Records of this cake date from the mid-19th century when the recipe was included in a Mantuan recipe book that is part of a private collection. The Torta di Tagliatelle draws on ideas found in southern Emilia, using classic pastry cut into thin 'tagliatelle' that are mixed in alternating layers of chopped almonds, sugar and butter. The cake is baked, but certainly not easy to prepare.
Ingredients for 4 portions
300g white flour
3 yolks
200g sugar
200g shelled and chopped almonds
70g butter
1 small cup dry liqueur
Method
Make normal pastry using the flour and eggs, adding a level tablespoon of sugar.
Cut the sheet of pastry into tagliatelle-shaped strips (like those cooked in broth). Mix the almonds with the sugar and create the layers of the cake. In a baking tin greased with butter, place a layer of the tagliatelle, then a layer of almonds and sugar, putting the odd knob of butter here and there, and occasionally sprinkling with the liqueur. Continue like this until all the ingredients have been used. There should be 3 layers of tagliatelle, with the almonds in between. Bake for about 45 minutes at 160-170°C, until the cake becomes golden. Leave to cool.
Method
Dough with flour, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Rolling out the tagliatelle.
Sprinkling flour on the mould. Tagliatelle layers.
Baked at 160°C for 45 minutes. Cooled.