As I was walking in my garden last Sunday, I noticed that my lemon tree was suddenly looking heavy with ripe, juicy, bright yellow fruits. These home-grown lemons with a rough and gnarly peel make the best Limoncello and Gin&Tonic, but my alcohol intake being limited by the joys of breastfeeding, I resorted to pick a few and bake them in an almond and lemon torta. What a sweet consolation that was!

INGREDIENTS, serves 8

3 whole eggs

200 gr (1 cup) caster sugar

75 ml (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil (or plain olive oil, or canola oil)

170 gr of full cream ricotta, well drained

210 gr (2 cups) of sifted self-raising flour

70 gr (2/3 cups) of almond meal (almond flour)

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons, juice of 1

1 teaspoon of vanilla paste or extract (or half of a freshly scraped pod)

1 tablespoon of Amaretto liquor

HOW TO

1. In a bowl, beat  eggs with sugar until pale and creamy

2. Add oil and Ricotta and incorporate until smooth

3. Add  flour and almond meal and incorporate gently into the eggs mix then add the lemon zest and juice, vanilla and a tablespoon of Amaretto (Italian almond liqueur).

4. Pour the batter in a cake tin (buttered and floured) and bake in a pre-heated oven at 170 C (340 F) for about 35/40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin before serving.

Dust with icing sugar and help yourself to a large slice…

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