Lenten tahini pie

We call it a "pie" but it looks like and it has the texture of a cake. Still, it is a very delicious dessert which can be found in various areas of Greece with minor differences depending on the region. It is a traditional Lenten cake full of taste thanks to the tahini paste and full of aroma thanks to the rich spices. No need to be one of those who fast to try this recipe out. It is for everybody and for all seasons because it goes perfectly well with coffee or/and tea and it is ideal as a sweet snack

Slightly adapted from a recipe of Efi Yialoussi,
"Cook Book" magazine of "ETHNOS" newspaper

Ingredients (for an oven pan of about 25cm diameter):
about 300gr. of all-purpose flour
1 tsp of baking powder
1 water-glass of orange-flavoured carbonated soft drink
1 water-glass of tahini paste (or sesame or vegetable oil)
1 water-glass of granulated sugar
1 tsp of ground cinnamon
½ tsp of ground cloves
½ a tea-cup of finely chopped walnuts
½ a tea-cup of dark raisins (I didn't put any)
1/2 an orange, the zest (optional -my addition)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush the bottom and the sides of the pan with some oil and lightly dust with some flour. Shake the pan to discard the excess flour.

Sift the flour together with the baking powder in a bowl.

In the bowl of a standing food processor beat the tahini paste with the sugar until pale in colour and creamy in texture. While beating add the cinnamon and the cloves.

Turn the speed to medium and alternately add in the bowl the flour and the orange drink. Add in the mixture the walnuts, the orange zest (if used) and the raisins and stir very well with a wooden spoon.

Empty the cake mixture into the pan and put in the oven. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the pie is nicely coloured and the toothpick with which you will prick the centre of the cake comes out clean and dry.

Take the pan out of the oven, cover with a kitchen towel and leave the pie to stand for 5 minutes. Overturn onto a serving platter and leave to cool completely before serving.