Italian

Luca Mignogna

Mozz

Luca Mignogna speaks warmly of his childhood growing up in Campobasso, Italy, especially when waxing poetic about the dishes enjoyed around the holidays. Although he learned to make cheese alongside his father in Molise, a mountainous region that extends down to the Adriatic coast, it was during the Christmas season he’d be put to work.

He recalls his mother making pepatelli, a well-known holiday treat in the region. “I was the one, when it was coming out of the oven and still soft, I was cutting it into shape,” says Mignogna. “Some are more
biscotti-oriented, some more cookie-ish; depends on the density.”

The traditional treat may look sweet, but these palate pleasers pack a serious punch. Take a hint from its key ingredient — black pepper (“il pepe” in Italian means “pepper”), which is balanced with a generous
heaping of honey in addition to flour, almonds, and sometimes, depending on cook’s preference, a smattering of citrus zest, like lemon or honey.

“They get very hard but are chewy because of the honey. They bend, they don’t crack,” explains Mignogna. “They are very good, very spicy, very durable. You serve them with grappa, punch, coffee, [or] dipping in the wine.”

Next page: Danish rice pudding