Italian Grandma Pie (Torta della Nonna)

This Tuscan pastry tart features a fragrant lemon-nutmeg pastry cream encased in sweet Italian-style pastry.

The lighter, sunnier version of the Grandad’s Pie (Torta del Nonno), this Tuscan dessert is the more popular, well-known version throughout Italy. ‘Torta della Nonna’, or Grandma’s Pie, involves a silky lemon-nutmeg custard completely encased in sweet Italian pastry, with bronzed pine nuts or almonds on top. You may use a shop-bought pastry for this, though I will give you a recipe and walkthrough for a classic ‘pasta frolla’ sweet Italian pastry too. The filling is a pastry cream - a much simpler, more stable version of a custard - that’s flavoured with the classic Italian dessert flavour-trio of vanilla, lemon and nutmeg. Don’t be intimidated by the idea of baking custard between two layers of pastry, it’s much easier than it seems and I’ll have your back along the way. It’s a beautiful bake any time of year - great with coffee - but the sweet, angelic aroma of lemon, nutmeg and nuts makes this a lovely treat especially around Easter-time. Let’s go!