Torta sa sjemenkama buče - Cake with pumpkin seeds - Torta con semi di zucca

I’m so proud I did this cake that tastes a bit special. I was little skeptical when I first saw it. Last winter my mum and me, we were watching a culinary program on Croatian television about a pastry chef visiting different regions and villages in Croatian countryside exchanging experiences and recipes with local women and I wrote down the recipe. I was courious to find out its taste and texture. It’s made with plenty of pumpkin seeds, some walnuts and the original recipe says to add some bred crumbles. I have replaced  bred crumbles with fine corn flour, so my cake is completely gluten free. I have reduced a bit the quantity of sugar and also replaced lemon juice with the water and didn’t added lemon zest at all. I’m note sure that our grandmothers in flat lands of Croatian’s countryside often purchased lemons, so I eliminated those two ingredients from my version of this recipe to get more rustic cake. I was not sure that the cake will raise, because the mixture of all those seeds is pretty  dense and I was surprised when I saw in the oven my cake was getting higher and higher. And the sweet smell fluctuated in my kitchen…

You can keep it for several days covered with transparent film. It will still remain soft and friable. If you like rustic flavours, you will love this cake. I’m convinced that the taste of this cake is pretty similar to the antique and traditional flavours our grandparents once ate and this is what I wanted to produce.

TORTA SA SJEMENKAMA BUČE

(za kalup za tortu promjera 18 cm)
100 gr sjemenki buče

3 jaja

80 gr smeđeg šećera od trske

50 gr nasjeckanih oraha

25 gr sitnog kukuruznog brašna

2-3 žlice vode

prstohvat soli

1 žličica praška za pecivo za kolače

Izrezati sjemenke buče na male komadiće, ili ih usitnite u blenderu.

Namazati kalup za tortu maslinovim uljem i posuti ga kukuruznim brašnom, ili ga jednostavno prekriti papirom za pečenje.

U zdjeli sjediniti suhe sastojeke: sjemenke buče, orahe, kukuruzno brašno, prašak za pecivo i prstohvat soli.

Odvojiti žumanjke od bijelanjaka. Tući bjelanjke u čvrsti snijeg. Dodati 2 žlice šećera u snijeg i nastaviti mutiti dok se šećer potpuno ne otopi.

Mikserom mutiti žumanjke i preostali šećer dok ne narastu i postanu svjetli. Postepeno dodavati suhe sastojke u smjesu i sve dobro umutiti mikserom. Dodati vodu u smjesu i lagano promiješati. Na kraju dodati snijeg od bjelanjaka te rukom miješati odozdo prema gore da snijeg od bjelanjaka ne padne.

Uliti smjesu u kalup i peći 30-45 minuta u zagrijanoj pećnici na 175° C.

Ostativi da se torta ohladi u plehu.

Prije posluživanja, posuti površinu torte nasjeckanim sjemenke buče.

CAKE WITH PUMPKIN SEEDS

(for the baking pan with diameter 18 cm )

100 gr of pumpkin seeds

3 eggs

80 gr brown cane sugar

50 gr chopped walnuts

25 gr extra fine corn flour

2-3 tablespoons water

a pinch of salt

1 teaspoon baking powder for cakes

Cut pumpkin seeds into small pieces, or chop them with the food processor.

Grease with olive oil and flour  with corn flour the baking pan, or cover it with baking paper.

In a bowl combine dry ingredients: pumpkin seeds, walnuts, corn flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt.

Separate egg yolks from the whites. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar into stiff egg whites and continuing to whisk until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Mix egg yolks and the remaining sugar with mixer until they become light and fluffy. Gradually add dry ingredients in the mixture and incorporate well together. Add the water in the mixture and mix gently. At the end add the egg whites in the mixture stirring by hand with gently movements from the bottom to the top to keep the egg whites stiff.

Pour the mixture into baking pan and bake about 30-45 minutes in a preheated oven at 175°C.

Allow to cool in the mold.

Before serving, sprinkle the surface of the cake with chopped pumpkin seeds.

TORTA CON SEMI DI ZUCCA

(per la tortiera del diametro 18 cm)
100 gr di semi di zucca

3 uova

80 gr di zucchero di canna

50 gr di noci tritate

25 gr di farina extra fine di mais

2-3 cucchiai di acqua

un pizzico di sale

1 cucchiaino raso di lievito per dolci

Tagliare i semi di zucca in piccoli pezzi, oppure tritarli con il tritatutto.

Oliare lo stampo e infarinarlo con la farina di mais, oppure rivestirlo con la carta forno.

Unire in una ciotola gli ingredienti secchi: semi di zucca, noci, farina di mais, lievito per dolci ed un pizzico di sale.

Separare i tuorli dagli albumi. Montare gli albumi fino a quando la neve diventerà ferma. Aggiungere 2 cucchiai di zucchero nella neve continuando a frullare fino a quando lo zuccherò sarà completamente sciolto.

Mescolare i rossi d'uovo e il rimanente zucchero con il mixer fino a quando diventeranno chiari e spumosi. Aggiungere gli ingredienti secchi nell'impasto poco alla volta e incorporarli bene con il mixer. Aggiungere l'acqua nell'impasto e mescolare delicatamente. Infine unire all'impasto gli albumi mescolando a mano con movimenti dal basso verso l'alto per non smontare gli albumi.

Versare l'impasto nella tortiera e cuocere per 30-45 minuti nel forno già caldo a 175°C.

Lasciare raffreddare nello stampo.

Prima di servire cospargere la superficie del dolce con semi di zucca spezzettati.