The Nocchiata is an ancient homemade speciality of peasant origin, prepared in Artena from Christmas to Epiphany with hazelnuts, honey and bay leaves. The name comes from nocchie, hazelnuts in the local dialect.
Preparation
Coarsely chop the hazelnuts and mix them in a pan with aromatic or chestnut honey. You can adjust the crunchiness of the diamond-shaped brittles by measuring out the honey.
Brown the mixture for a few minutes and spread it on a damp surface. Roll it out with dry hands and form a ½ cm thick rectangle. Put it in the freezer for a couple of minutes, cut it into diamonds, which you will wrap in two fresh bay leaves, and serve cool.
The Christmas Nocchiata from Artena