Brustengolo: Apple Nut Polenta Cake

Name: Brustengolo: Apple Nut Polenta Cake
Cook time: 1 hour
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 9 ounces (1 1/2 cups) fine cornmeal 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; plus more for the pan 1 tart apple; peeled; cored and cut into small pieces 1/3 cup golden raisins 1/3 cup dried figs 1/2 cup chopped and toasted walnuts or hazelnuts 1/3 cup sliced almonds; plus more to decorate top of cake 1/3 cup pine nuts; plus more to decorate top of cake 1 orange; zested and juiced 1 teaspoon fennel seads 1 teaspoon anise seeds (optional)

Dolce

Francine Segan | Fri, 11/11/2022 - 02:29

Polenta cake / Photo courtesy of Francine Segan

Difficulty Level

Low

Cooking Time

1 hour

Cost

Low

A whole-grain, gluten-free, vegan, deliciously satisfying not-too-sweet treat, brustengolo is a traditional autumn dessert from Umbria. Particularly popular in Perugia and Assisi, it’s made with polenta and packed with fruit and nuts with a hint of orange. This is a centuries-old dish, typical of the cucina povera tradition, made with locally grown corn flour, fruit, and whatever nuts people could obtain under trying circumstances. In the past, it was prepared by mixing boiling

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Brustengolo: Apple Nut Polenta Cake

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