Stroscia Ligure (Ligurian Sweet Chubby Cracker)

By Carla Simondo at Azienda Agricola Le Roveri in Albenga, Liguria.

This delicious recipe is originally from the Imperia province of western Liguria, but it comes to us from nearby Savona province, from Carla Simondo who is a farmer and entrepreneur at Azienda Agricola Le Roveri in Albenga, which specializes in local fruit and veggie production.

We first met Carla at her shop in Alassio with our local friend and guide Andrea Marchesini: In her quaint and beautifully appointed little storefront, you can find all their fresh produce in season as well as hand-crafted delicacies such as tomato sauce, fruit preserves, and this stroscia! 

Ingredients for 8 people 

• 250 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour (Carla recommends a semi-whole wheat flour and we used the type "Buratto" that we are able to find here in the USA from Mulino Marino)
• 100 grams (1/2 cup) cane sugar 
• 125 grams (1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp) EVOO (we recommend to use one from Liguria!)
• 60 cc (4 Tbsp) Marsala (we used Vermouth instead)
• 1 lemon
• 1 tsp baking powder

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 360 F
• Grate the lemon for the zest
• Save 1/2 Tbsp of EVOO and 1/2 Tbsp of sugar for the final steps of this recipe
• Pour the flour onto a cutting board and mix it with the remaining sugar, lemon zest, remaining EVOO, baking powder and Marsala (or Vermouth)
• Combine all the ingredients with your hands until you reach the consistency as for a pie crust
• Sprinkle 1/2 Tbsp of EVOO on a tray (round or square, your choice) and pour the mixture into it
• Gently press with your fingers and make sure that the dough is less than 1/2 inch think, otherwise it will not become crunchy
• Sprinkle with 1/2 Tbsp of sugar
• Place the tray in the oven for 30 min or until it is cooked (it took us 40 min with our oven)
• Take the tray out of the oven and let cool

When you serve stroscia, remember, you do not slice it but you simply break off pieces with your hands: "Strosciare" in the local dialect means "to break."

Buon appetito!