Italians--especially the Piemontese, go crazy for Tonda Gentile delle Langhe hazelnuts. These rich and smoky marble-sized nuts from the Langhe region of Piemonte are used in everything from cakes, to candy, to pasta sauce.Unlike other nuts, which are plucked from the tree, hazelnuts are allowed to fall to the ground and then immediately collected and dried. The dried nuts may then be roasted in their shells and shipped to large manufacturers or shipped raw to small producers to be roasted onsite.<.p> The first batch of raw hazelnuts arrives at Giovanni Cognos small bakery in downtown La Morra in late August. Cogno, who learned his craft from his father, makes this simple, robust cake just once a year to celebrate the hazelnut harvest. If you're not yet a hazelnut enthusiast, this torte will change your mind. Enjoy a slice with a glass of dessert wine and a dollop of La Giacometta chocolate-hazelnut cream. |
