Born and raised in Turin, Katia Delogu is a very passionate pastry chef who came to New York in 2010 to become the Executive Pastry Chef at Eataly. Since then, Katia has been traveling all around the world to train young pastry chefs and open new pastry shops for Eataly.
“I have two ambitious goals. First of all, I want to introduce the real Italian pastry to Americans, and then, I want to train more professional women as pastry chefs, since men have always dominated the pastry scene.”
Katia, talks about the difference between Italian and American pastries, describing how the pastry is evolving in the USA and what Americans like most.
What are the main differences between Italian pastry and American pastry?
American pastry is mostly about being simple – a careful search for natural, seasonal and local products, but most of all, it is based on a very simple technique. What strikes me [about American pastries] is the use of so many flavors and spices. In Italy, it’s the opposite – we tend to enhance the main ingredients of a recipe. Italian pastry is the result of historical and cultural influences that make it more sophisticated and rich.
Why has the classic Italian pastry seemed to struggle with taking off in the USA?
Besides the Italian pastry shop, the "modern" pastry shop, in general, has struggled to take off [in America] due to historical and cultural differences. For example, in the USA, we have always looked at dessert as indulgent and rich, while the evolution of the European pastry has experienced a certain evolution toward a healthier aesthetic or taste, using increasingly sophisticated ingredients. There is a compromise somewhere in between, however, and consequently, a great appreciation (and success) in the American market has grown for traditional pastries from Italy’s South.
Sweets from the South of Italy are a sort of comfort food for Americans since they were the first to be imported and made by immigrants from Southern Italy. Not only because of that, though. Southern Italian pastries, such as cannoli and babà – are rich and sweet like American pastries. In terms of Italian pasticceria, Americans identify most often with these.
Which Italian desserts are the most popular with Americans?
Cannoli, sfogliatelle, babà, and of course, tiramisù. During my 10 years of experience at Eataly, we tried and contributed to making the modern Italian pastry a little more well-known, along with the different regional Italian pastries.
Katia Delogu with the famous Italian pastry chef Corrado Assenza
What do you like most about American pastry?
Its simplicity, the grandeur of a certain technique, referring to a monumental pastry. Some creations are a piece of art.
Has Italian pasticceria evolved in Italy and America?
In Italy a lot – finally! We have adapted to the rest of Europe and the world, by adopting new techniques and making lighter pastries.
What are the main characteristics of Italian pastry?
The ongoing research, evolution, and rediscovery starts from a huge, historical, and culinary regional background. Italian pastry chefs are lucky because they can choose from a wide range of very high-quality ingredients and combine them for the best outcome. Ingredients do the trick for me!
Why have you chosen Torta di Toro as a recipe to share?
I chose this cake because it’s the one that represents me the most. It’s made out of my favorite ingredients: hazelnuts from Piemonte. I created it a long time ago, and I dedicated it to my favorite soccer team: Torino.
Torta di Toro by Katia Delogu
Torta di Toro: A Recipe by Pastry Chef Katia Delogu
Ingredients for the ‘frolla’ (crust):
70 g butter (5 tbsp)
40 g sugar (1/5 cup)
1 egg
100 g flour 100 gr (¾ cup)
Method:
Mix ingredients together in the order listed. Let the frolla rest in the fridge for 2 hours. After resting, roll out the dough until 4 mm thick. Use to cover a greased cake pan (20 cm diameter).
Ingredients for the ‘frangipani’:
80 g butter (1/3 cup)
80 g sugar (2/5 cup)
2 eggs
80 g hazelnut flour (¾ cup)
Method:
Using a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar in a stationary mixer. Add one egg at a time, followed by the flour. Spread the frangipane on the frolla crust and bake it at 325 for 35 minutes. Let the cake cool before removing from the mold. Keep in the fridge.
Ingredients for the ‘cremino’ (filling):
100 g white chocolate (4 oz)
100 g hazelnut paste (4 oz)
Method:
Melt the chocolate and add the hazelnut paste. Combine.
Ingredients for assembly & decoration:
50 g milk chocolate (2 oz)
Whole hazelnuts
Gianduia chocolate for decoration
Method:
Melt 50 g milk chocolate and use it to make a crown around the cake, followed by the whole hazelnuts. Let the cake set in the fridge, then pour the melted cremino on top (be careful to not over fill it!) and return it to the fridge to set once more.
Decorate with shaved gianduia chocolate curls.
Serve at room temperature.