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Featuring—Luxury Travel & Lifestyle:

Filomena Lofranco, LDV & CO.

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For Filomena Lofranco, experiencing Italy is about so much more than where you go. It is about how you feel when you are there. As the founder of LDV & CO., Filomena has created a luxury concierge travel and lifestyle brand rooted in her passion for Italian culture, hospitality, design and intentional living. Her mission is to help travellers experience Italy beyond the expected, creating bespoke journeys that feel personal, authentic and unforgettable.

Rather than simply checking destinations off a list, Filomena believes the magic of Italy is found in the details. A hidden corner of a familiar city, a long lunch shared around the table, a local tradition, an intimate cultural experience or a connection with the people who make a place special. Through private escapes, custom itineraries, exclusive access and elevated lifestyle experiences, LDV & CO. brings travellers closer to the Italy that exists beyond the guidebooks.

At the heart of Filomena’s philosophy is the belief that true luxury is about creating experiences with intention. Every journey is thoughtfully curated around the individual, balancing elegance with authenticity and allowing travellers to discover Italy at their own pace. For Filomena, La Dolce Vita is not simply about glamour or indulgence. It is about slowing down, appreciating beauty, sharing good food, embracing local traditions and making meaningful connections along the way.

Through LDV & CO., Filomena invites travellers to experience Italy in a way that feels entirely their own. Her work is a beautiful reminder that the most memorable journeys are often about more than the places we visit. They are about the stories we collect, the people we meet and the moments we savour. And sometimes, the best way to experience Italy is simply to slow down, pull up a chair and say, mangiamo.

Filomena Lofranco

Luxury Travel & Lifestyle, LDV & CO.
Ontario, Canada

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Prepared by:

Filomena Lofranco, LDV & CO.

My signature recipe is lentil soup—a simple and comforting dish that has been part of our family for many years.

When my children were growing up, lentil soup was one of my favourite quick and easy meals to prepare. It was nourishing, satisfying and made with simple ingredients I usually had at home. No matter how busy life became, I could put a warm and comforting meal on the table for my family. Even now that my children are grown, they still ask me to make it. That is what makes this recipe so special to me—it carries memories of our family gathered around the table.

In recent years, as my husband and I became empty nesters, we began a new tradition of opening our home on New Year’s Day and inviting family and friends to share a bowl with us. In Italian culture, lentils are traditionally served at the beginning of the year as a symbol of prosperity and good fortune.

What began as an easy family meal has become a meaningful tradition—one that continues to bring the people we love together around our table.

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 30-40 mins

Serves: 6-8

Filomena’s Italian Lentil Soup

Recipe Contributor: Filomea Lofranco, LDV & CO.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
  • 100g pancetta, diced into small pieces
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 can (796 mL) diced tomatoes
  • 2 cans (540 mL each) lentils, drained and rinsed
  • 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups baby spinach, optional
  • Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
  • Crusty Italian bread, for serving

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  2. Before adding the onions, add the pancetta pieces. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is lightly golden and has released its flavour into the oil. This is my secret to giving the soup a rich and savoury base.
  3. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
  4. Add the garlic and cook for approximately 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  5. Add the potato, diced tomatoes, lentils, broth, bay leaf and oregano. Stir well and bring the soup to a gentle boil.
  6. Reduce the heat, partially cover the pot and simmer for 25–30 minutes, or until the vegetables and potato are tender.
  7. If using spinach, stir it into the soup during the final few minutes of cooking.
  8. Remove the bay leaf. Taste before adding salt, as the pancetta and broth may already provide enough seasoning. Add freshly ground black pepper and additional salt, if needed.
  9. Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve warm with crusty Italian bread.

Filomena's Secret:

Always cook the pancetta in the olive oil before adding the onions. As the pancetta becomes lightly golden, it infuses the oil and creates the flavourful foundation of the soup.

Recipe Notes:

This soup can be prepared ahead of time and tastes even better the following day. If it becomes too thick as it rests, simply add a little more broth when reheating.

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maria
Author: maria

Ciao, I ❤︎ FOOD + FITNESS. Digital marketing expert, and single mom of two looking for ways to fuel my deeper creative passions. I built this platform to share easy, healthy recipes with all of you. I love talking about all things food, nutrition, fitness and look forward to building this blog with you. Did you make one of our recipes? Tag @shesitalianseries on Instagram so that we can find you!