La Torta di Mandorle di Varzi

“Ra turta d’Ârmàndul,” the Varzi almond cake, has been awarded the De.C.O. mark (Municipal Denomination of Origin), an official certification attesting to its local heritage and authenticity.

The recipe itself is wonderfully simple, made with eggs, flour, sugar, lemon zest, and chopped almonds. The resulting batter, baked at a high temperature, yields a fragrant and long-lasting cake that was historically perfect for taking on long journeys.

The Varzi almond cake is particularly delicious and nutritious. It is dry yet crumbly, and, if stored properly, it retains its wonderful fragrance for a very long time.

Production Area: This almond cake is exclusively produced in the Municipality of Varzi.

History and Tradition

Thanks to Varzi's sunny exposure—which is ideal for cultivating almond trees—the production of this nut has been significant since antiquity. This abundance led to the invention of the Almond Cake, which quickly achieved great success due to its simple ingredients and exquisite flavor.

Documents dating back to the 12th century attest to its presence and reveal how highly it was appreciated by the Malaspina Counts, the historical lords of the city.

Recipe: Turta d’Ârmàndul (Almond Cake)

Ingredients (Serves 6):

• 125 g butter
• 150 g sugar
• 125 g potato starch
• 3 eggs
• 125 g blanched almonds, finely chopped
• Grated zest of ½ a lemon
• A pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Whip them with an electric mixer until the mixture becomes pale, fluffy, and frothy.
2. Mix in the butter, chopped almonds, sifted potato starch, and lemon zest.
3. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form, then gently fold them into the main batter.
4. Butter a round cake pan (26 cm in diameter), pour in the mixture, and level it out evenly.
5. Bake at 180°C for 40 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.