3 c. flour
Pinch of salt
1 c. butter
10 tbsp. sugar
2 egg yolks

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar and egg yolks and mix to a soft dough. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide the dough in half. Roll out and use to line two 9-inch cake pans. Prick bottoms and bake blind for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

FILLING:

1 c. shelled pistachios
4 egg whites
1 c. sugar
1 c. ground almonds
Grated rind of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp. rum
2 (1 oz.) sq. sweet chocolate

Reserve a few pistachios for decoration; finely chop the rest. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Fold the chopped nuts into the meringue with the ground almonds, grated lemon rind, and rum.

Spoon into the pastry cases. Place one pastry case on a baking sheet and invert the other on top. Return to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot water. Spread over the top of the cake with a palette knife. Cut the remaining pistachios in half and arrange in a circle around cake. Serves 10.