This is simple to make and has a course texture and deep nutty flavour. It is delicious as a plain cake or can be seeped with the orange juice and a little sugar then warmed up and served with a tahini and orange cream.
Serves 10
Equipment needed: a 20cm spring form cake tin and a food processor to grind the pistachios.
Ingredients
4 medium eggs
250gm caster sugar
125gm melted unsalted butter
125gm virgin olive oil
2 oranges (finely zested)
250gm ground pistachio (I did this in a magi- mix)
70gm fine polenta
125gm plain flour
1½ heaped teaspoons baking powder (1 ½heaped)
Juice of 2 oranges and 50gm of caster sugar to seep over cake)
Method
Preheat to 150°C
Grease and line a 20cm spring form cake tin with baking parchment
First beat together the eggs and caster sugar until beginning to expand. Then slowly add the melted butter and olive oil until smooth.Then add the orange zest.
Mix together the pistachio, polenta, plain flour and baking powder then slowly fold into the wet ingredients.
Transfer the mix to the prepared cake tin and bake for 50-60 minutes at 150°C. The cake should have doubled in size and be firm to touch.
Cool cake for 30 minutes after baking.
Orange drizzle (optional)
Place the orange juice and 50gm sugar in a small pan. Heat on a gentle heat and reduce the liquid by one third until just thickening to a syrup.
Using a skewer make 100 or so fine holes on the top of the cake. Slowly and evenly spoon on the orange syrup so the cake absorbs it all.
