This simple cake has ancient but forgotten origins. It has a rather unique taste of butter, almonds and pine nuts but is perhaps most notable for remaining pretty flat even when baked. It comes from the northern Mantua area. The recipe is mentioned in Artusi's famous book on science in the kitchen and the art of eating well, with the author singing the praises of this cake and suggesting it be eaten in March.
Ingredients for 6 portions
175g fine white flour
5 eggs
175g sugar
1 lemon
170g butter, breadcrumbs
75g sweet almonds
salt
Method
Mix the ingredients together and place them in a baking tin well greased with the butter and sprinkled with sugar. The cake should not be higher than 2-3cm. Cut the pine nuts and almonds in half after shelling them in hot water and then cut lengthwise. Place them on the cake once it has been covered in icing sugar. Place in the oven at 150°C but lower the temperature to 130°C for about 40 minutes to allow the cake to bake slowly and dry thoroughly. Serve cold, having sprinkled it again with icing sugar.
Characteristics of the cake
The strong almond flavour recalls the Sbrisolona, but it is far spongier. It must not be more than 3cm high.
Shelled almonds cut lengthwise, placed on the cake, and then baked with other almonds and icing sugar.