I love Baci di Dama, they are an iconic recipe from Piedmont, the region of incredible hazelnuts. A few years back ,when I tried to explain to our guests what “dame’s kisses” were people would raise their eyebrow at me (understandably, it is a strange name) so I would simply justified myself by saying that they are the Italian answer to French macaroons. Luckily, things have changed, and more and more people are accustomed to these tasteful biscuits, so much so that I could not resist to create a savory cheesy version using Grana Padano PDO, the iconic cheese from Northern Italy.
Full of umami flavour these tasty bites are the perfect accompaniment for your in-house aperitif with a glass a bubbly Prosecco DOC, for example.
Chef’s tip
Prepare the cookies in advance and store them in an airtight container. Fill them with the cream cheese only before serving.