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Torta di mele - Italian apple pie from my family's recipe

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Serves: 6-8

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This is my family's most famous cake. We often bake it in autumn and winter afternoons, and taste these glorious slices with espresso or a cup of tea while enjoying family tales or chatting with lovely friends. And at the bottom of the recipe, there's a mouth-watering tip from granma making the cake more - if possible- heavenly delicious.

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Ingredients

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For the torta di mele

  • 4 apples (golden)
  • 250 grams flour
  • 100 grams butter
  • 150 grams sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 125 ml milk
  • 1 lemon (grated zest of)
  • 16 grams baking powder (one sachet)
  • salt

For the top

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ground cinnamon

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200° C.
  2. In a bowl mix sugar with butter to make a creamy mix.
  3. Add the eggs, flour, milk, the lemon zest, a pinch of salt and the baking powder. The dough should be creamy, if it’s too thick just add small amounts of milk.
  4. Peel the apples. Slice 3 ½ and put ONLY the other ½  in small chunks into the pastry.  
  5. Pour the mixture into a round baking tin, previously buttered and sprinkled with flour.
  6. On the top of it, place the sliced apples as in a radial. Sprinkle 2 spoons of brown sugar and cinnamon.
  7. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let the cake cool before slicing. Buon appetito!
  8. MOUTH-WATERING TIP: my mother sometimes puts finely sliced bananas on the pastry just before placing the sliced apples. Once it’s baked, it’s creamy and delicious.   

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  • Grazie mille, Francesca for sharing this family treasure.It is so simply delicious, moist and so hard to stay away from. Cake for breakfast? I made one yesterday and will make another for my son and his family this afternoon. Phyllis

    Posted by pvhlcsw on 14th Mar 2012 at 18.46

  • Grazie Francesca! I was drawn to this recipe by your description of its history and it is now a family favorite. Your grandmother was a genius to think of using a banana on the top of the dough. The cake is easy to make and so simply delightful. It looks so inviting with the melted brown sugar and apples on top. I may have to make one tomorrow!

    Posted by pvhlcsw on 3rd Apr 2012 at 0.26

  • I've tried your recipe and a delicious cake comes out every single time! Thanks Francesca!

    Posted by Chriscc on 1st May 2012 at 15.03

  • @ pvhlcsw @ Chriscc Thank you very much for trying this recipe! Enjoy! Big kiss. Francesca

    Posted by FrancescafromItaly on 21st Sep 2012 at 9.00