Chef James Martin had two goals when devising a signature dessert for Bocadillo Market in Chicago, one of our 10 Best New Restaurants of 2022: to highlight an ingredient central to Spanish cooking, and to avoid dishes that already get a lot of play in the US like flan or Basque cheesecake. He and the team landed on this lofty custard-y pie that has a fudge-like texture thanks to almond flour in the filling. It is a true celebration of a nut that represents the history of Spain, having traveled with the Moors from North Africa through the Iberian peninsula to ultimately become a staple of Spanish sweets.
Adding alcohol to a pie crust dough ensures that you’ll get a tender, flaky result; the liquid makes the dough more malleable without developing the gluten in the flour like extra water would. Martin uses Spanish gin at the restaurant—specifically Nordés gin, from Galicia, but vodka will work as well. Another pro tip is to seek out a deep-dish pie plate, to achieve the custard layer’s impressive height and thickness.
While a slice of this pie is more than enough on its own, it sings when paired with seasonal fruit. Try a spiced pear or apple compote in the fall and winter, bright pickled strawberries in the spring, and macerated stone fruit in the summer. And be sure to let the pie completely cool before you cut into it so your slices will hold their shape—either room temperature or cold from the fridge is the move.