Description
We recommend our basic cooking classes to the people who approach for the first time to the Tuscan cooking tradition … to dishes with special flavors which are prepared using only the best local products other than those of our own vegetable garden. You will learn to prepare handmade pasta, ravioli, ribollita .. and other delicious recipes of our area .. plunging fully into a family atmosphere and into a location of rare beauty.
The experience of handmade pasta is certainly the most suited to become familiar with the basics of our cuisine and with our beautiful country, since pasta in its various types is the common thread between all of our regions: from north to south, crossing the center of Italy and reaching the islands. If you pay specific attention, you will notice that wherever you taste this delicacy you immediately recognize the culinary history of the place. This is why we highly recommend for you our Pasta making class in San Gimignano, beautiful city not far from Florence and Siena.
The simplicity of the preparation makes this course suitable for everyone, young and old. We propose a pasta cooking class lasting a total of about 4 hours, where we learn how to prepare an excellent dough that can be useful for many types of pasta.
In our pasta cooking class experience, we will focus on the long pasta such as fettuccine, tagliatelle, tagliolini, pappardelle, spaghetti etc. etc. .. and on the stuffed pasta such as ravioli, tortellini, triangoli, mezzelune, fagottini and so on and so forth.
Even if handmade pasta or ravioli mixed with just a splash of Tuscan olive oil and some cheese are delicious in their simplicity, we will also cook excellent sauces to go with them. (The preparation of the type of sauces will depend strictly on the season in which the course takes place).
In the end we will relax with a nice glass of wine and a good plate of freshly made pasta, surrounded by a view which will make our hearts melt and enhance our palates ….
We also prepare a desert and a bruschetta as an appetizer
COOKING EXPERIENCE ORGANIZED BY:
Montese Cooking Experience
WHAT’S INCLUDED
MEETING POINT
Loc. Lucignano, 40, San Gimignano
Sophia Crivello (verified owner) –
We had the best time at this cooking class! Chef Mauro was so charismatic and excited to share his fantastic recipes and cooking tips with us. We had an amazing time getting to know him, the sou chefs, and the others in our group as well, it felt like we were sitting down for a fun family dinner at the end. The food was absolutely delicious (the sauce was one of our favorites we had in all of Italy!) and Mauro made cooking a ton of fun! We would love love to come back for another round and would highly recommend signing up for this class! Thank you Mauro!!!
Desiree –
Absolutely amazing! Mauro was a wonderful host and teacher. He welcomed us with a glass of wine and the words “our house is your house”. And it stayed like that all night. It didn’t feel like a cooking class but more cooking with family. The wine glasses were never empty and the laughs were constant. The food was amazing. I would do this every week!
Melanie –
This was one of the top experiences during our trip to the Tuscan region. We were a group of 9 and Mauro welcomed us as if we were old friends and his passion for cooking showed. We did the pasta making class where he taught us how to make various types of pasta where we used them in a ravioli with butter and sage, and also a bolognese. We made the best bread we had on our trip and an amazing tart. This was also one of our favorite meals on our trip. I highly recommend! Thank you Mauro for many laughs and such a great experience!
Felix –
Amazing experience in the heart of nowhere in Tuscany! Mauro really opens his house and does everything so that you have an amazing time. The food was great, the cooking was fun and the wine tasty and the view stunning.
Sam –
We had the most amazing day and couldn’t recommend this cooking experience more. The location was incredible and Mauro was so much fun. We had the best wine we’ve had through your 6 week trip in Italy. All the food was so delicious and we learnt so much!
Amy –
During our two week trip in Italy, this is our favorite experience. Go!! It was so so lovely. Mauro is the nicest human, making you excited, relaxed and confident about cooking. His location is beautiful, working outside with the beautiful Tuscan scenery around you. And the food was some of our favorite from our whole trip (maybe we were biased since we made it). We made bread, tagliatelle ragu, ravioli, pork loin, and a tarte. We drank wine. We climbed up the side of his house. We met a great group of travelers and laughed a lot. I can’t say enough good things. The whole experience was so special. I’m already planning a dinner party for friends so we can recreate everything.
Gabe –
My fiancé and I spent 10 days in Italy (Bologna, Florence, Tuscany, Rome) and this was EASILY the highlight of the trip. A cooking class in Italy is already a special experience, layer on the fact that you’re tucked in the hills of Tuscany and have a breathtaking view from Chef Mauro’s house (where the entire class takes place). From the moment we arrived, Chef Mauro’s energy was infectious and he made everyone feel welcome and as though we had all been friends for years. Greeted with a glass of wine or beverage of your choice, the experience began before we knew it. His charisma is unmatched, and it sets the tone for a fun filled day learning to cook the authentic Italian way. The efficiency in which he runs the class by assigning tasks to the group (making fresh pasta dough, ravioli, prepping vegetables for ragu, or kneading the dough for freshly baked bread) makes for a fast paced never dull moment. From start to finish you are always learning and having fun. The pasta was by far the best we experienced on our trip, something about making it fresh with your own two hands makes it that much more special. Wish we had more cash so we could’ve tipped him more! Tomorrow night we are going to attempt to replicate the dishes we learned that day from Chef Mauro…wish us luck!
Charly –
Fantastic cooking class, informal and instructive. We made (from scratch) pasta, ravioli, tortellini, gnocchi, with various sauces, two different types of bread and strawberry pie. These were the group’s choices but other options included pork loin and tiramisù. Mauro who is clearly passionate about his stuff also taught many local cooking techniques and tips. Well worth the very reasonable price.
JP –
Can we give 100 stars?
During our vaction, my wife, daughters and I have been to Rome, Cinque Terre, Pisa and Florence. Everyone agrees that this class was the highlight of the trip. Mauro has a great sense of humor and makes everyone feel like they are at a friends house. A group from Sweden were also in the class with us and everone worked, laughed and ate together as if we had know each other for years. We made bread, fresh pasta (tagliatelle, ravioli & tortalini), a bolognase sauce, butter/sage sauce (for the ravioli/tortalini) and an apricot tart for dessert. It was simply delicious.
Mauro has only one rule…your wine glass cannot remain empty.
Thanks to Maruo and Alberto for such a priceless memory!
Vanessa –
This was such a fun experience. If you are looking for an authentic cooking class with a beautiful view and fabulous instructor, this is for you. Mauro is so much fun and provides a lot of knowledge about Italian cuisine. The passion for which the Italians cook their food and appreciate the land is inspiring. I am so excited to try all of these recipes when I go home. Our kitchen has now been forever changed.
René –
Wir hatten einen absolut fantastischen Abend mit Mauro! Er ist ein unglaublicher Gastgeber und Chefkoch. Wir haben gemeinsam gelacht, philosophiert und die Landschaft und das Essen genossen.
Der Abend hätte einfach nicht besser sein können.
Das Essen war unglaublich (gut wir haben es auch selber gekocht😂)
Wir werden definitiv wieder kommen!
Emily –
My husband and I spent 3 nights in San Gimignano as part of our honeymoon and we wanted to do a cooking class while we were in Italy. This class exceeded all expectations possible. Mauro is such a genuine, happy and caring person. His two rules: never have a empty glass and relax. His sous chef, Margherita, was also very helpful! We were there with 2 other couples and he was able to intermix the groups effortlessly so we could get to know each other! I loved that we were outside the whole time and were able to soak in the gorgeous Tuscan sun and backdrop the whole afternoon. The bread was amazing, the ragú was delicious, the ravioli was comforting, the tiramisu was incredible, the vino was perfetto and the company was the best part! I almost didn’t want to leave when it was over. If you’re reading this, you should definitely book this class ASAP!
Nick –
This was one of the best parts of our trip.- very unique experience in the Tuscan countryside. Chef Mauro is not only a great cook and teacher but an entertainer and talented musician. This is a must do in San Gimignano!!