I’m not exactly proud of the way I acquired this recipe.  

     We were spending the winter months resting in a small town in the Peloponnese. Due to some skin issues, I was attempting to limit my diet, avoiding (among other things) gluten and dairy. I got a tip from some other travelers about a baker in town who occasionally made gluten-free pastries, so I stopped by her shop. She didn’t have anything for me at the time, but we struck up a nice conversation. When I told her about my recipe collection she immediately offered to teach me how to make her recipe for Portokalopita, a dense and delectable orange cake made with nut flour and whole blended oranges. We exchanged numbers and she told me she’d be in touch when she had the time for a lesson.
     Sadly, the time never came. I stopped by her shop now and then, but she seemed less and less eager to discuss the idea. After a month or so of waiting, my prospects were looking slim. But I had become attached to the idea of the recipe. Winter in Leonidio is rich with oranges bursting from every garden, rolling in the streets, offered freely by locals to anyone walking by without a bagful. It seemed the perfect recipe to celebrate the season. And I was still stubbornly wanting to taste this cake. Luckily, another traveller friend of mine had already been on the hunt for the same recipe, and she was able to jot it down for me before we left town. So in the end, this is a Greek recipe from a German tourist. After finally having my chance to taste it, I must say I have no regrets.

____

     Doro also noted that one could use any type of nuts for the flour. I’d be interested in trying pecans. For a nice presentation I layer thin slices of orange over the top before baking. I serve it with a drizzle of new olive oil, honey, and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt. Don’t skip the cardamom!