When I think about hazelnuts and Italy together, that gooey confection—often found in a collectible jar—immediately comes to mind. Yes, I’m talking about Nutella, a clever and cloying friend that begs to be slathered on toast, or eaten by the spoonful. But the hazelnut has a much deeper place in the Italian culinary tradition—especially when it comes to baking—than just getting lost in a jar of the creamy spread.

This small dry fruit is one of the most beloved in Italy, and from the Northwest to the island of Sardinia, there are sugar-spun treats (and some savory ones as well) that beg to be devoured when in Italy, or attempted at home. Hazelnuts originated in Asia Minor and later became available to both the Greeks and Romans, who believed the trees to have magical properties.