Working with Pan di Spagna, or Pasta Genovese

Pan di Spagna, also known as pasta Genovese, relies on whipped eggs for its light, spongy texture. The cake rises by mechanical rather than chemical means: The heat of the oven causes the air bubbles in the batter—trapped in the whipped eggs—to expand. The heat cooks and sets the proteins around the bubbles. It is therefore crucial that the eggs be correctly beaten.

The technique illustrated below is used when making Pan di Spagna.