Italian Desserts Recipes - Peach and Almond Slice (Torta di Pesche e Mandorle) Recipe

Ingredients                                     

• 225 g/8 oz/2 cups ground almonds

• 175 g/6 oz/3/4 cup caster (superfine) sugar

• 1 egg

• 5 ml/1 tsp lemon juice

• 15 ml/1 tbsp Amaretto

• 350 g/12 oz puff pastry (paste)

• 4 fresh peaches, stoned (pitted)

• 1 egg, separated

• Caster (superfine) sugar for dredging

• 50 g/2 oz/1/2 cup flaked (slivered) almonds

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Method:

1. Blend the ground almonds, sugar, egg, lemon juice and Amaretto together and set aside.

2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to form 2 rectangles. Place 1 pastry rectangle on a baking sheet. Lightly knead the almond paste then roll out to a rectangle.

3. Place on the pastry and arrange the peaches, cut side down, on the top. Brush the border with a little beaten egg.

4. Fold the second pastry rectangle in half lengthways, and using a sharp knife, cut across the fold at 5 mm/1/4 in intervals. leaving a border.

5. Unfold the pastry and place over the peaches. Press down the edges and flute around the edges with the back of a knife.

6. Chill for 30 minutes, Glaze with the egg yolk, beaten with 5ml/1 tsp water.

7. Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7 for 20 minutes until well-risen.

8. Brush with the egg white, dredge with caster sugar and sprinkle with the flaked almonds. Bake for a further 10 minutes until golden brown.