Holiday itinerary
Impress even the most experienced 'foodies' after taking this amazing Tuscan immersion cooking course. Ideal for those who want to return home with an expansive collection of Italian recipes, you'll discover a wide range of innovative Tuscan specialities.
You will learn from a local professional chef how to prepare a decadent Italian meal that pulls out all the stops using only the best ingredients.
Your cooking lesson will start with making Italian breads, risotto and stuffed pastas such as ravioli and lasagne; you will learn how to colour the pasta and make the delicious sauces from fresh ingredients produced on the school's estate.
Classes are taught in a fun and relaxed style, where you will muck in with your fellow guests to create the dishes together rather than individually. You'll each have a go at making your own pasta, and the feel of the cooking class is typically Italian and a group effort!
The daily recipes will vary according to the seasons to ensure only the freshest possible ingredients are used to provide you with a deeply individual Tuscan experience.
The menu will consist of at least 5 courses, all unique in flavour and execution, and when it is ready you and your fellow would-be cooks will sit down with the chef and eat the delicious Italian food you have prepared, accompanied by a glass of wine produced on the school's estate.
Suitability
- Suitable for all levels, from beginners to advanced
- Minimum age 10
- Lessons can be taught in English or Italian
Start Days
- Classes run on selected dates throughout the year
- Please note the school is closed on Christmas Day, December 25 and New Years Day
Class Schedule
- Classes start at 10am; you will begin by learning about the history of Tuscan cooking and the chef will present you with the day's menu
- Roll up your sleeves as you prepare for your hands-on cooking lesson
- At 2pm you will have the chance to enjoy the feast you have created complemented by a glass of Chianti wine and extra virgin olive oil
- Classes end when you have finished eating lunch around 3pm
- Note, on selected dates the course can start in the afternoon, please check the dates and bookings tab for details
What Will I Learn?
- Many ingredients are sourced from the estate's garden and you may use olive oils produced on the estate
- Start with learning to make a variety of traditional Italian breads
- If pizza is on the menu, you'll learn to make pizza as an antipasti
- The art of making amazing pasta fresca, such as gnocchi, tagliettli and more
- Special techniques on how to colour the pasta as well as making filled pasta ravioli
- How to create the perfect risotto including making the broth from scratch
- You'll focus on preparing meats and/or fish and using the meat for both main courses as well as pasta sauces and stocks
- Desserts are not forgotten and you'll make a typical Tuscan dessert to appeal to your sweet tooth
- Overall, you'll learn hands-on techniques how to prepare a full delicious 5 or 6 course Italian meal which you then get to enjoy at the end of the lesson
- History and cultural importance of Italian cooking
- You will receive a Tuscan recipe book to take home with you and put your new skills in to practice
- You'll also take home your very own apron to use at home when putting your new found Italian cooking skills into practice
Examples of Typical Dishes You'll Learn To Cook
Antipasti
- Examples of what you may produce for the first course include bruschetta, crostini toscani, cured meats, vegetable flans or the traditional Italian pizzas
Soup and Salads
- Various soups and traditional Tuscan salad dishes such as panzanella
Primi Piatti
- Typical dishes include fresh pasta using special techniques to 'colour' the pasta as well as making filled pasta
- Sauces will typically include fresh basil pesto or ragout of wild mushrooms and sweet onions, meat or duck ragout
- Expand your knowledge by learning to make tagliettli, gnocchi, stews and the perfect risotto and broth
Secondi Piatti
- Your menu may include fish, Etruscan chicken, veal rolls stuffed with artichoke and fontina cheese, wild boar stew, veal and ricotta meat balls and much more
- Various side dishes will accompany your meal
Dolci
- Finish off your meal with one of the following - pears in red wine sauce, tiramisu, Tuscan apple cake, panna cotta and much more
Other Information
- This school offers a transfer service from a central meeting point in Florence city centre to the cooking school which can be added as an optional extra during the booking process for 12.50 Euros per person for a return trip each day
Go learn to cook a wide range of authentic Italian dishes at this 13th century villa in the heart of Tuscany, pursue your passion for food and develop your chef's skills.