Pecan Sbrisolona
Crumbly Italian Streusel Cake

A crumbly cake from Mantua that’s made for sharing, Pecan Sbrisolona is the perfect Italian dessert
to serve on Thanksgiving Day.

More like a giant cookie than a cake, my Pecan Sbrisolona—like its predecessor Torta Sbrisolona or simply Sbrisolona—has one of those irresistible Italian names that rolls off the tongue effortlessly while accurately describing its texture: crumbly. Think crumbly like streusel. An ancient dolce from the Italian city of Mantua, Sbrisolona traditionally combines ground almonds, cornmeal, sugar, and lard into rough, streusel-like crumbs that are scattered like raindrops onto a pan and baked. The result is a light, dry, crumbly cake that isn’t sliced with a knife but ceremoniously broken into cookie-like pieces instead.

This unique quality is one of the reasons I created Pecan Sbrisolona for my Italian Thanksgiving* menu. It’s the perfect sharing dessert—placed in the center of the table for guests to break apart (a ritual reminiscent of breaking bread) and dip into sweet dessert wine. The other reason? I feature pecans in my Sbrisolona—the quintessential American nut associated with Thanksgiving. They lend a rich, buttery sweetness that rivals the original version.

Finally, and not to be underestimated, Sbrisolona is a true gift for the busiest cooking day of the year: it’s quick, easy, and incredibly fun to make. With its irresistible taste, texture, and soul satisfying streusel-ness, this Italian dessert might just become one of your cherished Thanksgiving traditions for years to come. Happy Thanksgiving to all with love and thanks from my kitchen to yours!

*Looking for more Italian Thanksgiving recipes? Try my Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Spiced Brown Butter and Nonna’s Italian Apple Cake!

PECAN SBRISOLONA
Crumbly Italian Streusel Cake
{Recipe}
Copyright, 2008, Deborah Dal Fovo, All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited

Serves 6 to 8

Scant ¾ cup/100g 00 or all-purpose flour
Scant ¾ cup/100g yellow corn flour
Heaping ¾ cup/100g finely ground pecans
½ cup/100g cane or granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
Grated zest of ½ lemon
8 tablespoons/113g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature and cut into ½-inch dice
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Powdered sugar to garnish

Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch/25cm springform pan and set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, ground pecans, sugar, salt, and lemon zest and mix until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, egg yolk, and vanilla. 

Using your hands, crumble the butter, egg yolk, and vanilla into the dry ingredients, working it between your fingers until the mixture becomes crumbly and forms pea-sized clumps. 

Drop the crumbly mixture into the prepared pan by the handful—like raindrops from the sky—to create an even layer with irregular surface resembling the moon. Do not press the mixture down. As it bakes, the butter will melt, binding the crumbs into a crisp round that’s more of a giant cookie than a cake. 

Place pan in the center of the oven and bake for about 50 minutes until the surface is dry and golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely before removing the sides of the springform pan.

Carefully transfer the Sbrisolona (without breaking) to a serving platter and dust the surface with powdered sugar. To serve, break into irregular, cookie-sized pieces, or place it in the center of the table for guests to break off their own pieces.

Sbrisolona will keep for several days in a cookie tin or wrapped in foil.