Torta alla menta soffice (soft mint torte)

For ➋➋ cm cake tin
200 g 00 flour
50 g potato starch
3 medium eggs
130 g caster sugar*
14 cl whole milk
6 cl mint syrup
8 cl peanut or sunflower seed oil
10 g baking powder
1 pinch of salt

Whip the eggs together with the sugar with the electric mixer until they are swollen and foamy.
Add the milk and the mint syrup, continuing to whisk with the whisk.
Sift the 00 flour, the starch and the yeast and place them in the bowl alternating with the seed oil.
Finally add the pinch of salt and stir.
Grease and flour a 22 cm diameter cake tin.
Bake in a static oven and preheated to 160°C for 45-50 m.
Times vary from oven to oven, check with a toothpick to see if it is cooked.
After cooking time, take out the mint cake and let it cool completely before serving.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.
Keep it under a glass jar or well protected from moisture for up to 3 days.

*If you prefer sweeter you can increase the sugar to 150 g.
The color depends on the syrup you use.
Use it as a base to fill with Nutella, chocolate or jamr.
For a gluten-free version you can replace the 00 flour with the one you commonly use or with rice flour. Check that all ingredients are gluten-free, even mint syrup.

Torrone molle (Italian chocolate noga)

For ➏-➑
175 g butter
175 g cocoa powder
175 g ground almonds
175 g sugar
1 whole egg & 1 yolk
175 g plain biscuits such as Petit Beurre (from supermarkets), cut into almond-sized pieces
oil, for the tin

Work the butter and cocoa together in a bowl until you have a soft paste, then stir in the ground almonds. Melt the sugar with a little water in a pan over a gentle heat and add it to the cocoa mixture. Stir in the egg and yolk, then the biscuits.
Do this gently so the biscuits do not crumble. Place in an oiled mould (such as a loaf tin or another cake tin with a removable base) and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Turn out onto a dish to serve.

Spring pea & ricotta torte with lemon & mint

For ➑
1 tbs unsalted butter
1shallot, finely chopped,
450 g shelled peas
salt
6 cl water or chicken stock
25 cl whole milk ricotta
¼ ts ground nutmeg
4 large eggs
4 tbs creme fraiche
4 tbs finely grated Parmigiano cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
4 tbs finely grated young pecorino cheese
2 tbs finely chopped fresh mint
2 ts finely grated lemon zest
1 ts freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 190°C. Butter a 22 cm springform pan and wrap bottom with foil to prevent any leakage.
Melt 1 tbs butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened, one minute. Add peas and 1 teaspoon salt; sauté briefly to coat. Add water or stock. Cook until peas are tender and liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Transfer half of the peas to a bowl of a food processor; purée. Add ricotta and nutmeg; pulse to blend. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Transfer to a bowl. Whisk in creme fraiche, Parmigiano and pecorino cheeses. Stir in remaining peas, mint, lemon zest, ½ ts salt and black pepper.
Pour eggs into prepared springform pan. Sprinkle with Parmigiano cheese. Bake in oven until edges are golden brown and center is puffed and cooked through, about 30-35 m.
Remove and let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.