My ongoing quest to find new ways to eat butter, sugar, and nuts together resulted in this happy discovery: sbrisolona. A regional specialty of Mantova, Italy, this cookie gets its name from its crumbly texture. The dough is worked together by hand into a dry, coarse meal, pressed into a cake pan, and baked until it’s very firm. I follow the Italian tradition and break the giant cookie into rough, jagged pieces. Like biscotti, its dense, nutty quality makes it the perfect vehicle for scooping up zabaglione. This old-fashioned Italian custard is traditionally made by whisking egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala wine over simmering water. In this festive version I’ve substituted slightly sweet sparkling Moscato d’Asti for the Marsala.

　　

Ingredients

3/4 cup raw almonds

　　1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

　　6 tablespoons finely ground cornmeal

　　1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

　　7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, plus butter for the pan

　　3 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar

　　1/3 cup granulated sugar

　　1 extra-large egg yolk

　　1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

　　1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

　　Moscato d’Asti zabaglione (recipe follows)

　　

Moscato D’asti Zabaglione

1/2 vanilla bean

　　1/3 cup granulated sugar

　　2 cups Moscato d’Asti

　　5 extra-large egg yolks

　　1 cup heavy cream

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Spread the almonds on a baking sheet, and toast 8 to 10 minutes, tossing a couple of times, until they’re golden brown and smell nutty. When they have cooled, chop the nuts coarsely.

　　

Step 3

Place the flour, cornmeal, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter, and work it into the flour with your fingers until you have a coarse meal. Stir in the sugars and almonds. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

　　

Step 4

Combine the egg yolk, extracts, and zest together in a small bowl. Pour into the well at the center of the dry ingredients. Mix gently with your hands. The dough will look dry and crumbly, similar to a streusel.

　　

Step 5

Transfer the dough into a buttered 8-inch springform pan. Very lightly, press the dough into the pan, being careful not to pack it too tightly; the top should be somewhat uneven.

　　

Step 6

Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until set and deep golden brown.

　　

Step 7

When it has cooled completely, break the sbrisolona into “rustic” pieces, and serve with a bowl of the zabaglione. Invite your guests to scoop up dollops of zabaglione onto the sbrisolona and eat with their hands. Serve with glasses of Moscato d’Asti, of course!

　　

Moscato D’asti Zabaglione

Step 8

Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and, using a paring knife, scrape the seeds and pulp into a medium saucepan. Add the vanilla pod, sugar, and 1/3 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, without stirring, to a light caramel. Add the Moscato (don’t worry when the caramel seizes up; it will remelt). Reduce the mixture to 1 cup and remove the vanilla pod.

　　

Step 9

Whisk the egg yolks together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk a few tablespoons of the Moscato caramel into the egg yolks to temper them. Slowly, add another quarter or so of the mixture, whisking constantly. At this point, you can add the rest of the Moscato caramel in a slow steady stream, whisking all the time.

　　

Step 10

Place the mixture in a double boiler, and cook over low heat about 6 minutes, whisking continuously, until it’s thick and light in color and forms ribbons when it falls from the whisk. Cool in a stainless steel bowl in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

　　

Step 11

When you’re ready to serve, whip the cream in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment at high speed until it holds stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream carefully into the custard base. Serve the zabaglione in a beautiful bowl.

　　

Note

Step 12

The zabaglione needs to cool for 2 hours before serving.

　　Sunday Suppers at Lucques[by Suzanne Goin with Teri Gelber. Copyright © 2005 by Suzanne Goin. Published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved..Suzanne Goin graduated from Brown University. She was named Best Creative Chef by Boston magazine in 1994, one of the Best New Chefs by Food & Wine in 1999, and was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2003, 2004, and 2005. She and her business partner, Caroline Styne, also run the restaurant A.O.C. in Los Angeles, where Goin lives with her husband, David Lentz.Teri Gelber is a food writer and public-radio producer living in Los Angeles.](http://astore.amazon.com/epistore-20/detail/1400042151)