Fortaia con le Mele
Fortaia con le mele, known in local dialect as fortaia coi pomi, is a thick Trentino sweet apple omelette-pancake cooked in rich mountain butter.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 295 kcal
Equipment
- •24 cm non-stick frying pan or cast iron skillet
- •Mixing bowl
- •Whisk
- •Apple peeler and corer
- •Flat plate or lid for flipping
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 295 kcal
- fat
- 14 g
- carbs
- 33 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 9 g
- calories
- 295 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Peel, core, and cut the apples into thin slices about 3 mm thick.
- 2
Whisk the eggs, flour, milk, caster sugar, and salt together until completely smooth.
- 3
Stir the grappa into the batter if using.
- 4
Melt 20 g of the butter in the frying pan over medium heat.
- 5
Add the apple slices and fry for 5 minutes until tender and lightly golden.
- 6
Pour the batter evenly over the warm apples in the pan.
- 7
Lower the heat, cover with a lid, and cook for 8 minutes until the base is set.
- 8
Slide the omelette onto a flat plate or lid.
- 9
Melt the remaining 15 g of butter in the pan and invert the omelette back in.
- 10
Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown beneath.
- 11
Slide onto a warm serving plate and dust generously with icing sugar and cinnamon.
Chef's tips
Use a tart, firm apple like Renetta del Canada so the fruit holds its shape and cuts through the sweet egg batter. Keep the heat gentle once the batter goes in so the bottom browns without scorching before the centre sets. Use a wide, flat lid without a rim to slide and invert the thick omelette safely.
Ingredient substitutions
- Renetta del Canada apples → Bramley, Cox, or Granny Smith apples
- grappa → apple brandy, dark rum, or omit entirely
Storage
Store leftovers wrapped in greaseproof paper in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a lightly buttered pan over low heat until warm through, or eat cold.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cooking over high heat, which chars the bottom before the thick egg custard cooks through.
- •Slicing apples too thickly, preventing them from softening properly before the batter is added.
- •Attempting to flip the heavy, tender omelette in mid-air rather than using a flat plate.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Fortaia con le Mele?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from Trentino-Alto Adige
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
