Have Vegetables for Dessert in These Sweet Italian Cakes

From zucchini to radicchio, seasonal vegetables have long found their way into Italy's cucina povera

Get past the savory associations of this Swiss chard tart's green filling, and you'll be surprised with a delicately sweet, spiced dessert. Giulia Scarpaleggia

It took years to convince me that vegetables could belong in desserts. But Italy’s cucina povera, or peasant cooking tradition, is actually full of cakes with vegetables that perfectly embody the cuisine’s spirit: They use whatever is abundant and in season—not just fruit, but vegetables, too—in an inventive way, turning poor ingredients into rich treats.

Now, my favorite cakes with vegetables don’t hide the veggies, but rather exalt them, as part of a balance of contrasting textures and interesting, sometimes unusual flavors.