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sbrisolona

a crumbly cake

'She who crumbles' is a traditional recipe from Mantua (although some say Emilia-Romagna), first mentioned in the 17th-century court of the Gonzaga family. It's now popular throughout northern Italy: a simple cake (or tart, or cookie), made with corn flour and wheat flour and butter, then often flavoured with lemon zest, or almonds, or both. Many recipes have a ricotta filling, dried fruit etc.

It's easy to make; here's a recipe. Because it crumbles (sbriciolare is to crumble), it's never sliced, but broken into pieces. It may also be called sbrisulusa or sbrisulada

In Lodi, they make a similar crumb cake called tortionato (or tortjonata) without cornflour.

In the Veneto they call it a rosegota.

Desserts and pastries

Lombardy

Text © Dana Facaros & Michael Pauls

Image by David Goehring