Cookies Preferences
These little guys are a gluten-free take on a cake I just couldn't keep away from whenever I visited one of Ottolenghi's delis in London. They're bursting with pistachio and lemon and the addition of olive oil keeps them moist and adds just a certain little bit of something in the flavor that I love. I bake these in mini loaf tins, but you could make them in any well-greased tin you choose.
1 1/2 cups pistachios, roasted in the oven for 8-10 minutes
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 cup polenta
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup ricotta
3 eggs
zest and juice of one lemon
for the topping:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
zest of one lemon
1/4 cup roasted pistachios
Preheat your oven to 375F/190C degrees and grease your choice of baking tin well.
Place your roasted pistachios in a food processor and blend together with the cardamom until you have a fine sand mixture. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat together the olive oil and sugar until the mixture is pale and the sugar is dissolved (this takes longer than you think - at least a couple of minutes). Now add the ricotta and eggs and beat a bit longer. Now add the ground pistachios, the polenta, and the baking powder and fold this all together by hand. Finally add the zest and juice and stir to combine everything well. Divide the mixture among your baking tins, about half way up the sides, and place in your preheated oven. My loaves took 20 minutes to cook through. They should be firm to the touch and coming away from the sides of your pan when they're fully baked. Allow them to cool.
To make the topping in a small saucepan combine all of the ingredients and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Spoon it over the top of the cakes.
