Torta della nonna (grandmother's custard and pine nut tart)
A crumbly lemon pastry case filled with silky lemon custard and topped with toasted pine nuts, the favourite tart of Tuscan Sundays.
- Time2 hr 15
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.65 a head
- Oven180°C (160°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Rub the flour, 100 g sugar and butter together with your fingertips until like fine crumbs. Stir in the 3 egg yolks and the lemon zest and bring together into a soft dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
30 min - 2
Make the custard. Heat the milk with the vanilla until just steaming. Whisk the 4 yolks, 120 g sugar and cornflour in a bowl until pale, then pour in the hot milk, whisking all the time.
- 3
Return to the pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes until thick and glossy. Stir in the second lemon zest, cover the surface with cling film and cool.
4 min - 4
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Roll out two thirds of the pastry and line a 24 cm tart tin, pressing into the corners. Prick the base and chill for 15 minutes.
15 min - 5
Spread the cool custard into the case. Roll out the remaining pastry, cut a lid and lay it on top, pressing the edges together. Prick a few times with a fork and scatter over the pine nuts.
- 6
Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown. Cool fully in the tin, then dust with icing sugar before slicing.
40 min
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
