Last week at Eataly, I spied a curious item in their pastry case. It was Sbrisolona, a regional Mantovan cake my friend Laney told me about last year. She's the author of the blog Ortensia Blu, http://blog.ortensiablu.com, and owner of the online Italian goods shop of the same name. I knew she was a huge fan of Sbrisolona, and having never had it, I figured I should get one, try it, and report back to Laney. It was good -- not great, and I knew I could make a better version at home. So I started with Laney's recipe from her blog. I adapted it to include semolina flour, as I'm not crazy about the crunch of cornmeal, and I added orange zest and anise seed, two of my favorite flavors in Italian desserts.
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<br />Traditionally made with flour and cornmeal, Sbrisolona was a peasant dish created out of very few ingredients. It kind of developed its own cult status in the region of Lombardia, specifically the town of Mantova, near Lake Garda. The word "sbrisolona" sort of translates to "crumble and break apart." It's meant to be eaten without slicing, so just get in there and break it apart with your hands. It's perfect with an espresso or glass of vin santo, and a bunch of friends at the table. Cin cin!

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