Sbrisolona

Step 1

Set the oven to 350°F and wait for the indicator light or beep to signal it has finished preheating, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, pressing it into the corners and up the sides; leave a 1-inch overhang on two opposite sides so you can lift the cake out later.

Step 3

Pour 1.5 cups flour and 1 cup polenta into a large mixing bowl and stir together with a wooden spoon until no white streaks of flour remain.

Step 4

Add 0.75 cup softened butter, 0.75 cup sugar, and 0.5 teaspoon salt to the flour mixture.

Step 5

Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients by pinching and crumbling the mixture between your fingers until it resembles coarse wet sand, about 2 minutes.

Step 6

Stir in 0.75 cup sliced almonds using a wooden spoon until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Step 7

Pour the crumbly dough into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer using the back of a wooden spoon or your fingertips; do not press down or compact it.

Step 8

Place the pan on the center oven rack and bake at 350°F for 22–28 minutes, until the top is golden honey-brown and the edges look slightly darker.

Step 9

Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a heat-safe surface to cool for 5 minutes, until it is warm but no longer hot to the touch.

Step 10

Lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment overhang and slide it onto a cutting board.

Step 11

Cut the cake into 8 roughly equal pieces by making 4 cuts in one direction and 1 cut perpendicular to them, creating rectangular shards.