Pride. Care. Passion. These words best describe the baking and food culture in Italy. In each home kitchen, bakery, restaurant, market, and food shop we visited, there was pride, care, and passion. Pride of place and tradition, care of ingredients, and passion for process and making people happy through food.
For the first of many Italian baking issues to come, we intentionally started our travels in the northern part of the country in the Piemonte and worked our way down to Liguria and into Toscana and Lazio. In each of these regions, we leaned on local experts to share some of their favorites with us. Our baking journey in Italy has only just begun. As the composer Giuseppe Verdi said, “You may have the universe if I may have Italy.”
Piemonte
Surrounded on three sides by stately snow-capped Alps, the Piemonte (Piedmont) is the birthplace of the Slow Food movement and home to hazelnuts, white truffles, plin pasta, grissini, fabulous wines, and more. While it might be one of the lesser-known regions in Italy, once you discover its beauty and culinary riches, you’ll be back.
ALBA: HEARTBEAT OF THE LANGHE
The town of Alba is centrally located near many storied wine regions in the Piemonte region, most notably Barolo and Barbaresco. Wander the quaint streets past the Piazza Duomo and its bell tower, and it won’t take you long to notice this wine region is home to two other important ingredients: hazelnuts and truffles. Alba is the white truffle capital of the world, so you’ll find stores everywhere dedicated to selling truffles and truffle products, and you can expect freshly shaved truffles (both summer and white, depending on the season) on most menus.
HAZELNUT HEAVEN
As you travel through the rolling hills of the Piemonte, you’ll be astonished by the number of hazelnut farms. They are tucked between vineyards and ramble down from hilltop towns. Talk to locals, and you’ll discover that it’s not uncommon for winemakers to convert some of their land to hazelnuts. Why? Ferrero, which owns mega brands such as Nutella and Kinder, is based in Alba. And legend is true: early in the morning when the wind is blowing in a certain direction, the town of Alba smells like Nutella when hazelnuts are being processed into one of our favorite pantry staples. Pure bliss.
Aside from Nutella, you’ll find chocolate hazelnut spreads and hazelnut flour from artisan producers and hazelnut everything. Some of our favorites: gelato, baci di dama cookies, and bunet, a creamy Piemontese pudding. Turn to page 85 for 4 Ways with Chocolate Hazelnut Spread.
CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT PANNA COTTA
Makes 6 servings
An ode to two of the best things to come out of the Piemonte
