PISTACHIO CAKE
I am very proud of this cake, an adaption of Greek Karythopitta or walnut cake. I made it with pistachios because I used the walnuts to make cranberry and walnut bread, and I couldn't be bothered to traipse round to Tesco on a Friday afternoon to buy more walnuts. I added some rosewater to give it a more perfumed Middle Eastern flavour. The resulting cake was delicious, its innards a beautiful green colour from the nuts and its flavour very subtly, though most definitely pistachio! This recipe is adapted from one which appears in Claudia Roden's 'Mediterranean Cookery', one of my most favourite, much-thumbed and very stained cookbooks. It would also work with almonds, pecans or hazelnuts, or a mixture. Serves 6, generously 50g plain flour 1/2 tsp baking powder scant pinch of salt 175g pistachios, finely chopped in food processor 3 eggs, separated 175g caster sugar 1 tsp rose water For the syrup 250g sugar 1/2 pint water splash of rosewater Oven 180C. Prepare a cake tin