Ravneet Gill’s recipe for portokalopita
This cake is a true revelation; it uses dried filo sheets to create a moreish texture. I first tasted it on holiday in Cyprus, and sought tips and tricks from the pastry chef at the hotel I was staying in. Back home, I consulted Georgina Hayden, who told me that it’s one of her favourite cakes of all time. She uses whole oranges, but here I’ve used a simple, orange-scented batter that requires only one bowl. It’s quick, rewarding and delicious – you’ll keep going back for more.
Portokalopita
Prep 15 min
Cook 1 hr 20 min, plus cooling
Chill Overnight
Makes 1 20cm cake
540g filo pastry (ie, 2 x 270g packs)
3 eggs
125g caster sugar
200ml double cream
Zest of 3 oranges
Juice of 2 oranges
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
125g unsalted butter, melted
For the syrup
Juice of 4 oranges
Juice of 1 lemon
150g caster sugar
There are two ways to dry the filo. To air-dry it, lay out the pastry sheets on a countertop and leave for a few hours, until they are completely dry and crisp. Alternatively, heat the oven to 150C (130C fan)/300F/gas 2, put the filo sheets in batches on a baking tray, and bake for five to 10 minutes, until dry and crisp, but not coloured. Remove, leave to cool, then break into small pieces – be careful, because the hardened pastry can be sharp. Turn up the oven to 195C (175C fan)/380F/gas 5½.
Grease and line a 20cm springform cake tin and put it on a lined baking tray with a lipped edge, to catch any spills. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, caster sugar, double cream, orange zest and juice, then beat in the bicarb, baking powder and melted butter. Stir in the broken filo pieces until well combined.
Pour the mixture into the lined tin, then bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until the top is golden and the cake is set and not jiggly. Take the tray out of the oven and leave the cake on there to cool slightly in the tin.
Meanwhile, make the syrup. Put the orange and lemon juice and the caster sugar in a saucepan, bring to a simmer on a medium heat, cook for three to four minutes, then take off the heat.
Once the cake has cooled slightly, use a skewer or fork to poke holes all over the surface, then pour the warm syrup over the top. Leave to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate the cake in its tin overnight.
The next day, take the cake out of the fridge, unclip from the tin, slice and serve.
