Umbria (Spoleto and Assisi traditions)
Umbria's ancient grain tart: a sweet pie of cooked farro spelt grains, eggs, honey, sugar, lemon zest, and Vin Santo, set in a short pastry case and baked until just firm — the texture is between a custard tart and a grain pudding, the cooked farro grains providing a pleasantly chewy, nutty contrast against the egg-custard matrix. A descendant of the Roman 'libum' (grain and cheese offering cakes), this is one of Italy's oldest sweet preparations, still made in Umbrian hill towns during harvest festivals.
Nutty, chewy farro grains in a honey-Vin Santo custard, in a crumbling pastry shell — the taste of pre-Roman Italy in a modern tart
The farro must be cooked to full tenderness (it retains a slight bite but no hardness) before adding to the egg-honey filling. The Vin Santo provides both sweetness and the characteristic raisin-and-almond aromatic complexity of Umbrian sweet wine. The custard matrix (eggs, honey, sugar) must be beaten until pale before the farro is folded in — this aerates the mixture and prevents the tart from being dense. Bake at 160°C until just set — over-baking makes the custard rubbery.
The tart is served at room temperature — never warm. Dust generously with icing sugar just before service. Pair with the same Vin Santo used in the filling — this creates a beautiful echo of the wine in both the tart and the glass. For the most authentic version: use Sagrantino Passito instead of Vin Santo for a darker, more tannic, more intensely flavoured filling.
Under-cooked farro — it is unpleasant and hard in the finished tart. Vin Santo substituted with Marsala or cream Sherry — the flavour profile diverges significantly. Over-baking — the custard sets hard instead of remaining slightly wobbling at the centre. Short pastry too thick — the ratio of pastry to filling becomes disproportionate.
I Dolci dell'Umbria — Accademia Italiana della Cucina