Pellegrino Artusi offers such a delightful collection
of stories that I can’t help writing another post on La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene (1891). In fact, I’m
dedicating the whole month to cakes, puddings & desserts from the abridged edition of Signor Artusi's culinary guide. For Valentine's Day, which must have of great importance to his audience, I have prepared 'torta tedesca'.
Italians vs. Germans
Though not exactly rivals in the course of history, Italians and Germans identified themselves in very different terms: North & South, Romans and Saxons, the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation vs. the Papal States, Habsburg rule over Italian lands were some of the familiar patterns until the Congress of Vienna delivered a portion of northern Italy to Austria. The next year (1815) marked the beginning of a serious rivalry between the 2 nations, whose only common trait was faith. Consequently, when Artusi speaks of Germans, he often means the 'unsympathetic' Austrians who entered Lombardy after Napoleon’s fall and stayed on the Peninsula until Italy gained its independence.
Italians vs. Germans
Though not exactly rivals in the course of history, Italians and Germans identified themselves in very different terms: North & South, Romans and Saxons, the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation vs. the Papal States, Habsburg rule over Italian lands were some of the familiar patterns until the Congress of Vienna delivered a portion of northern Italy to Austria. The next year (1815) marked the beginning of a serious rivalry between the 2 nations, whose only common trait was faith. Consequently, when Artusi speaks of Germans, he often means the 'unsympathetic' Austrians who entered Lombardy after Napoleon’s fall and stayed on the Peninsula until Italy gained its independence.
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| Napoleon Bonaparte, aged 23 |
While Habsburg rule over Italian lands was relatively
peaceful in the 18th century, Napoleon’s victories in 1797-1799 filled
local populations with enthusiasm. A man who opposed the Austrians was surely a
friend to Italy, which the young general conquered in the name of the French Revolution. The numerous titles and lands that he gave to his family –including
Murat, the husband of his favorite sister Carolina– did not please the Italians, who refused to serve Napoleon's brother-in-law after 1815. Nevertheless, Artusi speaks of the First Consul without prejudice’.
The Battle of Novara
The Battle of Novara
Of German eating habits, Artusi has only jokes to
tell. He sweetens his voice, and polishes his words because he mainly addresses
ladies, but his remarks can only make his audience laugh: unlike Napoleon’s
chef who made a delicious stew of chicken by using what he found, the Austrian
soldiers made their broth with tallow which they obtained by melting candles –a
sign that German-speaking peoples were much less civilized than other
Europeans. This habit was limited to a degree by 1850, when tallow was mainly
(though not exclusively) used for straightening the formidable moustaches of
the Croats.
When, unfortunately, the Germans descended on us again in 1849, writes the 71-year-old gourmet as if he spoke of the pest. The place that witnessed this invasion was Novara, a Lombard city west of Milan, where Habsburg Austria and the kingdom of Sardenia clashed during the First Italian War of Independence. The Austrians won the victory because they were superior in numbers, better supplied with arms & led by Field Marshal Count Radetzky. Piedmont was forced to pay a large sum for compensation and the Habsburg monarch abdicated in favor of his eldest son -the destined king of unified Italy, Vittorio Emmanuele II. This once, the Germans proved more civilized, Artusi says and goes on to describe a lovely cake.
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| The Battle of Novara by Ferrari |
'Torta tedesca'
Despite his remarks on the unhealthy character of northern eating habits, Artusi was a great fan of German pastry-making. 'Torta tedesca', as he calls it, was a single-layer cake glazed with mocha icing. Given that both the sponge and glazing used butter, this recipe must have been quite a novelty in Italy, where the usual accompaniment to fancy cakes was ricotta.
Despite his remarks on the unhealthy character of northern eating habits, Artusi was a great fan of German pastry-making. 'Torta tedesca', as he calls it, was a single-layer cake glazed with mocha icing. Given that both the sponge and glazing used butter, this recipe must have been quite a novelty in Italy, where the usual accompaniment to fancy cakes was ricotta.
TORTA TEDESCA
The original recipe by Artusi is slightly adapted for the Mediterranean kitchen: the sponge cake is made without butter, divided in four layers, and filled with ricotta before the coffee-flavored glazing is applied.
I n g r e d i e n t s
for the sponge cake
100g vanilla-flavored caster sugar
125g plain flour
125g almonds, ground
2tsp cream of tartar
1/2tsp baking soda
1 sachet vanilla powder
6 eggs, separated
for the filling
750g ricotta
100g powdered (brown) sugar
for the icing
100g butter, softened
100g powdered (brown) sugar
2-3tbsp strong coffee
M e t h o d
1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Line four 20cm round baking pans with buttered parchment paper. 2. Beat the caster sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy, about 15 minutes. Beat the egg whites into stiff meringue. Sift the flour, almonds, rising agents and vanilla together. Fold into the egg yolk mixture, alternating with the beaten egg whites. Transfer to the pans and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the position of the grids and bake for another 5 minutes. Let cool on wire racks. 3. Beat the ricotta with the powdered sugar. Adjust a cake ring on a serving plate. Place the first sponge at the bottom and cover with 1/3 of the filling, levelling with a spatula. Continue with the other 2 sponges and 2/3 of the filling. Place the fourth sponge on top and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. 4. Beat the butter with the powdered sugar until light and fluffy, gradually adding the coffee. Remove the cake ring and spread the icing on the top and sides of the cake, using a spatula.
I n g r e d i e n t s
for the sponge cake
100g vanilla-flavored caster sugar
125g plain flour
125g almonds, ground
2tsp cream of tartar
1/2tsp baking soda
1 sachet vanilla powder
6 eggs, separated
for the filling
750g ricotta
100g powdered (brown) sugar
for the icing
100g butter, softened
100g powdered (brown) sugar
2-3tbsp strong coffee
M e t h o d
1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Line four 20cm round baking pans with buttered parchment paper. 2. Beat the caster sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy, about 15 minutes. Beat the egg whites into stiff meringue. Sift the flour, almonds, rising agents and vanilla together. Fold into the egg yolk mixture, alternating with the beaten egg whites. Transfer to the pans and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the position of the grids and bake for another 5 minutes. Let cool on wire racks. 3. Beat the ricotta with the powdered sugar. Adjust a cake ring on a serving plate. Place the first sponge at the bottom and cover with 1/3 of the filling, levelling with a spatula. Continue with the other 2 sponges and 2/3 of the filling. Place the fourth sponge on top and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. 4. Beat the butter with the powdered sugar until light and fluffy, gradually adding the coffee. Remove the cake ring and spread the icing on the top and sides of the cake, using a spatula.
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