Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the center position. Butter a 9-inch springform pan or 9-inch deep dish pie plate. If using the springform pan, add parchment slings for easier transfer to a cake plate.

Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, vanilla and Fiori di Sicilia (if using).

While the butter is creaming, put flour, semolina, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl and whisk to combine.  Set aside.

When the butter mixture has been combined, reduce speed to low and gently add in flour mixture. Mix only until combined, using a spatula to make sure the bottom is fully incorporated.  Put batter into the baking pan (or deep-dish pie plate), gently spreading to the edges. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. It’s easiest if you start with the largest pieces and then fit in the smaller.  They will all fit!  Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the surface of the batter/berries.

Bake cake on the center rack for 10 minutes at 350F. Reduce oven temperature to 325F and continue to bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour more.

If you are using the springform pan, let cool on a wire rack for ten minutes and then use a small thin knife to loosen the cake and gooey strawberry bits from the side and then release the sides to remove.  Let cool until room temperature and then, again using a thin knife, run along the bottom of the pan to release the cake and use the parchment slings to slide onto a cake plate.  Holding the cake side with your fingers, gently slide the slings out.

If you are using the pie pan, wait as long as you to cut into the cake (molten berries can be painful).  Serve as is, with fresh berries, with whipped cream, with ice cream, with any combination of the aforementioned, or with something new and delicious (please leave me a comment if it’s delicious so we can give it a whirl).