Torta Sbrisolona

Name: Torta Sbrisolona
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Lombarda
Ingredients: 200 g farina 00; 200 g farina di mais fioretto; 200 g unpeeled raw almonds; 200 g caster sugar; 200 g Unsalted butter; 2 piece Egg yolks; 1 piece lemon zest; 15 ml grappa; 2 g Fine sea salt

A classic crumbly almond and maize-flour cake from Mantua, baked until golden and snapped into jagged pieces by hand rather than sliced.

🇮🇹Italy· Lombardy

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 65 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 485 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

200 g farina 00 — plain wheat flour
200 g farina di mais fioretto — fine maize flour
200 g unpeeled raw almonds — whole
200 g caster sugar — granulated white sugar
200 g Unsalted butter — chilled and diced
2 piece Egg yolks — large
1 piece lemon zest — finely grated from unwaxed lemon
15 ml grappa — dry grape pomace spirit
2 g Fine sea salt — pinch

Equipment

•26 cm shallow tart tin
•Chef knife
•Large mixing bowl
•Fine microplane grater

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 485 kcal
fat: 28 g
carbs: 52 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 8 g
calories: 485 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 175°C and lightly grease a 26 cm shallow tart tin with butter.
2
Chop half the almonds finely and the other half coarsely, keeping a few whole for the top.
3
Whisk the plain flour, maize flour, caster sugar, and fine sea salt together in a bowl.
4
Add the chopped almonds and finely grated lemon zest, stirring until evenly distributed.
5
Drop in the chilled cubed butter, egg yolks, and grappa.
6
Rub the mixture briskly with your fingertips to create coarse, pebble-like crumbs without kneading.
7
Scatter the loose crumbs evenly into the prepared tin without pressing them down.
8
Press the reserved whole almonds gently onto the surface of the crumbly layer.
9
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until deep golden and crisp throughout.
10
Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin before breaking it into rustic chunks.

Chef's tips

Handle the dough lightly and quickly with cold hands to avoid melting the butter. Never compact the crumbs in the tin, as the loose texture gives the cake its signature brittle snap.

Ingredient substitutions

farina di mais fioretto → fine yellow polenta flour
grappa → dry white wine or cold water
unsalted butter → equal parts unsalted butter and traditional pork lard (strutto)

Storage

Store the cooled cake in a sealed metal tin at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Reheating

Serve at room temperature, or warm pieces gently in a 140°C oven for five minutes to release the almond aroma.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Kneading the mixture into a cohesive paste, which ruins the crumbly texture.
•Pressing down the crumbs in the tin, resulting in a dense and hard cake.
•Attempting to slice the cake with a knife instead of breaking it by hand.

Serving suggestions

Break into jagged shards and serve alongside a small glass of Grappa or sweet Vin Santo.Moisten individual pieces with a few drops of dry Grappa poured straight onto the crumbs.Accompany with a generous spoonful of fresh zabaglione or sweetened mascarpone.