From Libellula's Kitchen & Land — recipes with olive oil

Lucia was unusual from a young age.As a child, she highly unimpressed with the stuck up attitude of wealthy Italians.So, during church services, she would sneak under the pews and cut off the bottoms of wealthy women’s dresses.The unsuspecting women would only later realize what had happened as they stood to leave church, aghast at their ruined skirts.As Lucia grew, so did her captivating beauty.But she staunchly refused any offers of marriage, declaring she had absolutely no desire to rely on men who always seemed so certain of their gender’s superiority.By the time she was a teenager, Lucia would dress...

Located in the northwest corner of Italy, and isolated from most of Europe by the Alps, is the region of Piedmont. For centuries, residents of the hills of Piedmont would journey into the woods each autumn to gather hazelnuts, which flourish here due to the ideal climate and topography of the region. They would then dry and roast the nuts, using them as a key part of their diet all year round. Torta di Nocciole, like many old-school Italian recipes, is based on “cucina povera,” a concept that we often feature in Libellula dishes. “Cucina Povera” is Italy’s “poor cooking”...