Sacripantina

The name of this dessert derives from a character in Lodovico Ariosto’s poem Orlando Furioso called Sacripante — the name means “hoodlum” or “swashbuckler”! Supposed to have originated in Liguria, the cake is often covered with tiny dice of sponge cake. I prefer using macaroon crumbs on the outside, as in the original version of the cake, since they add a distinctive flavor as well as a subtle crunch.