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Last updated on March 16th, 2026.

Torta della Nonna is a classic Italian dessert made with a tender, buttery pastry crust filled with silky and thick pastry cream then topped with toasted pine nuts. Baked until golden and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar, it’s simple yet elegant, combining crisp pastry with a rich, creamy center.

A slice of torta della nonna

What I love most about Italian desserts, is that the beauty and flavor is in the simplicity. The desserts look like something your grandmother (nonna) made with no fancy ovens, measuring cups or even a recipe to follow.

This recipe is the best example: the beautiful tart form gives it a high end bakery style impression, but truth is, that you don’t even need a tart pan, or a pan at all! I was lucky enough to visit Tuscan in Italy, and this treat was on every corner cafe and bakery, free from, with a sprinkle of almonds and a dust of powdered sugar. (Even the Tiramisu was a beautiful unperfected mess)

Use a tart with a removable bottom does make things easier, but there is something so unique about the free form, and today I am sharing both options.

Key Ingredients

The complete recipe is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card. Here is a quick recap to the key ingredients and substitutions when possible.

  • Pasta Frolla. The crust is a classic Italian shortcrust dough known as Pasta Frolla, and it gets it unique elasticity and texture from a ’00 flour (pizza flour). If not at hand, use bleached all-purpose flour.
  • Italian Pastry Cream. The Italian version is made with high amount of egg yolks and is very thick and stable. Make it a day of two ahead of time so it will have the chance to chill and set. If used unset or warm, it may melt the butter in the dough and create abig mess. You can also use this Pistachio Pastry Cream for a fun twist.
  • Pine Nuts. They come right at the end, before baking and add a nice contrast of texture. Feel free to replace it with sliced almonds.

Make It

Below are step by step images for making the dough and assembling it two ways: using a tart pan, or free form. I also included my tips, and lessons I learned while testing this recipe.

  • Start with making the pastry cream so it has a chance to set and chill, up to three days ahead of time.
  • You can make the crust same day, just keep in mind that it is needs 30-60 minutes chill time.
A food processor bowl with flour and sugar.
Process the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
A food processor bowl with flour, lemon zest and butter.
Add the butter and zest and process until you no longer see any butter lumps.
A food processor bowl with flour mixture and and egg.
Add the egg and process.
A food processor bowl with dough.
Until you have a smooth dough.
Pasta frolla dough wrapped with plastic wrap.
Shape to a disk, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to two days.

Assemble Using A Tart Pan

I used a 9-inch removable bottom tart pan for this recipe, you can also use 8-inch, or a regular pie dish.

  • The bottom part should be bigger than the top because it includes the edges.
A tart pan lined with dough.
Rolled the first part of the dough and use it to line 9-inch tart pan.
Filling a tart pan lined with dough with italian pastry cream.
Fill it with the pastry cream.
Torta della nonna topped with the top crust.
Roll the second part and use it to top the filled tart shell. Cut the access dough.
Un baked torta della nonna sprinkled with pine nuts.
Sprinkle with pine nuts and bake.

Free Form

  • Make sure to place the rolled dough in the lined baking pan before you top it with the pastry cream.
  • Optional: brush the edges of the bottom dough with an egg wash to act as “glue”.
  • Use a form or crimp the edges for a decorative frame.
A cookie sheet topped with a circle dough.
Roll slightly less then 1/2 the dough into a 9-inch circle and place it over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
A cookie sheet topped with pastry cream and another layer of dough.
Mount the dough with the pastry cream and spread it leaving 1.5-inch gap. Roll the rest of the dough into 10-inch circle and use it to top the bottom layer.
Free form italian tart, unbaked sprinkled with almonds.
Press the edges of the dough, sprinkle with sliced almonds or pine nuts and bake.
Free form torta della nonna.

Storing

Store any leftover Torta della Nonna in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, or in an airtight container for up to three days. It’s best when enjoyed fresh, but it can also be gently reheated in the oven.

The dough and pastry cream can be made up to two days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

italian tart topped with pine nuts.
torta della nonna recipe
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Torta Della Nonna | Classic & Free Form

A classic Italian dessert made with buttery pastry filled with silky pastry cream and topped with pine nuts. Baked until lightly golden and finished with powdered sugar, it’s a simple yet elegant cake with a crisp crust and creamy center.
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 8 inch tart
Author Dikla Levy Frances

Ingredients

For The Short Pastry (Pasta Frolla)

  • 1 3/4 Cup (200g) '00' flour, or Bleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 Cup (60g) Powdered sugar
  • Zest from one lemon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1/2 Cup (113g) Unsalted butter, cold cut into one inch pieces
  • 1 Large Egg, cold

For The Filling

Topping

  • 1/4 Cup Pine nuts, or sliced almonds
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

Make the shortcrust pastry

  • In a food processor, process the flour (200g), sugar (60g), salt (1/2 teaspoon), lemon zest, and baking powder (1/8 teaspoon) for 5 seconds.
  • Add the cold butter (113g) and pulse for about 8 seconds, until the mixture resembles wet sand, and the butter is the size of small peas.
  • Add the egg (1 beaten) and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) and process until a dough is formed.
  • Press the dough into a smooth ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

Assembling

  • Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
  • Roll 3/4 of the pastry dough into a 10-inch circle over two pieces of parchment paper; remove the top pieces of parchment paper.
  • Use the parchment paper to lift the pastry and place it into an 8-inch tart mold.
  • Gently arrange the pastry into the mold using the parchment paper. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
  • Remove the parchment paper, trim the edges, pour the cooled pastry cream, and spread it into an even layer.
  • Roll the remaining pastry into an 8-inch circle, top it over the pastry cream, sprinkle with pine nuts, seal the edges, and bake for 40 minutes over a cookie pan on the lower middle oven rack.
  • Allow the tart to cool for about 1-2 hours, then remove from the mold onto your serving dish. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Free Form Tart

  • Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
  • Roll slightly over 1/2 of the dough into 9-inch circle. (I use a 9-inch cake pan as a guide). Use a sharp knife to trim the edges.
  • Gently transfer the rolled dough to the lined baking sheet.
  • Mount the pastry cream over the center of the dough, then spread it about 1.5-inch away from the edges of the dough.
  • Rolled the second part of the dough into 10-inch circle, then gently top the bottom of the dough with it.
  • Gently press the edges, and top with pine nuts or almonds.
  • Bake over the middle oven rack for 35 minutes. If the dough starts to brown too fast, reduce the oven temperature to 320°F.

Notes

  • This recipe yields one right-inch double-crust tart, or one 9, or ten-inch single-crust tart. 
  • For a ten inch tart with top crust, double the recipe by half (use one whole egg plus one egg yolk).
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator in a container for up to three days. The pastry and cream can be made up to two days in advanced and kept in the refrigerator.
  • To achieve a smoother custard, pass the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve before pouring it into the tart shell.
  • You can also prepare the pastry dough manually using a large bowl and a pastry cutter.
  • Ensure that the pastry ingredients are chilled, while the pastry cream ingredients should be at room temperature.
  • Let the tart cool entirely inside the tart shell before flipping it over and cutting it.
  • To enhance the flavor of the pastry cream, consider incorporating a hint of almond extract or a dash of Amaretto.

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4 Comments on " Torta Della Nonna: Grama’s Custard Tart "

  1. Dikla Levy Frances
    Hellen says:
    Sat Sep 23 23

    Looks amazing and is now on my to bake list. I saw one that was half chocolate and half vanilla. Do you have a chocolate recipe?

    Reply
    1. Dikla Levy Frances
      Dikla says:
      Sun Sep 24 23

      not at the moment but to make the a chocolate shortcrust, replace 1/4 cup of the flour (30g) with 1/3 cup of cocoa powder, and to make a chocolate pastry cream, mix in 2 oz (1/3 cup) of chopped chocolate as soon as you take the cream away from the heat after it thickens.

      Reply
  2. Dikla Levy Frances
    KariG says:
    Mon Sep 25 23

    May I use a removable bottom tart pan, if I place a rimmed sheet on the rack below to catch butter leakage?

    Reply
    1. Dikla Levy Frances
      Dikla says:
      Tue Sep 26 23

      yes, I used a removable bottom tart pan on top of a baking sheet, no leakage.

      Reply