Geshmak - Tarta de Santiago
Recipe courtesy of Marta Gonzalez de Mendibil, Katarina Rakić and Nomi Drachinsky from their Sephardic cooking workshop at the VHS Chemnitz.
The Tarta de Santiago is a traditional cake from northern Spain, specifically the region of Galicia. Some theories suggest a link to Jewish cuisine, as the cake contains no wheat flour, but is made exclusively with almonds. Indeed, during Passover, many types of grain-based flour are avoided, which is why almond-based pastries play an important role in Jewish traditions.
The original cake is usually decorated with the Cross of St James (Santiago). This time, we have opted for a decoration featuring a menorah.
Recipe:
300 g sugar
300 g ground almonds
4 eggs
zest of one lemon
50 g icing sugar for decoration
Menorah stencil
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Beat the eggs and sugar by hand until frothy.
Add the almonds and fold them in by hand.
The mixture should be thick and white.
Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the oven for about 25–30 minutes. Make sure the surface browns slightly; it should be slightly crisp and crumbly. Remove the cake and leave to cool.
Once the cake has cooled completely, place the stencil on top and dust with icing sugar.
Enjoy your meal!