Chocolate-nut pie

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1/2 tbsp. blanched hazelnuts
• 1 cup wheat flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the filling:

• 2 tbsp. corn or potato starch
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt

Preparation:

1. Prepare the cake layer: Toast the hazelnuts in a skillet until golden brown, about 8 minutes, then let cool. Place 1/3 cup of the nuts in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
   
   Add flour, sugar, and salt and mix. Add butter and mix until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add eggs and vanilla extract and continue mixing until the dough begins to come together.
2. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and shape it into a disk. Refrigerate the dough and chill for 1 hour. Coarsely chop the remaining hazelnuts and set aside for topping.
3. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface into a 30cm (12in) round. Place the dough in a 23cm (9in) springform pan and spread it out evenly, then trim off any excess dough. Prick the dough all over with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line the cake with foil, then fill with ceramic beans or dried beans. Bake until the edges are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: In a bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cream. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining cream, chocolate spread, vanilla extract, and salt.
   
   Add the starch mixture to the pan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the sides of the pan with a rubber spatula. Cook until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Pour the mixture over the crust and spread evenly.
6. Place the pie in the refrigerator and chill until the filling is set, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with the remaining nuts.