WHO’S FOR PASTA?

Get a true taste of Lake Como on this hands-on cooking experience. A local housewife will open the doors of her kitchen in Bellagio and teach you how to concoct a nutritious, mouth-watering meal. This beginner’s lesson centres on the art of making pasta. Epicureans will pick up culinary tips, savour the finest Mediterranean flavours and have the chance to share their love for food with like-minded enthusiasts participating in the class.

Some believe the discovery of pasta belongs to the 13th century when Marco Polo introduced noodles to Italy upon returning from one of his trips to China. However, according to historians, the origins of pasta date much further back and can be retraced to ancient Etruscan and Greek civilizations who inhabited central and southern Italy in the 4th century BC. The Greek terms làganon and makària, from which the words lasagna and maccheroni derive, attest to pasta’s ancient etymology. We know prominent ancient Romans such as Cicero and Horace were pasta lovers and an ancient cook book whose recipes are ascribed to 1st century AD gastronomy expert and chef Apicius include instructions on how to prepare a dish with lagana. Although the origins of this delicacy are wrapped in the mists of time its supernatural effects on today’s eaters are no mystery to Sophia Loren who once stated: “What you see I owe to pasta”.

You begin your day sourcing and purchasing the ingredients needed for the pasta making lesson at your host’s favourite food stores in the delightful old town of Bellagio. You will meet her trusted suppliers, become familiar with the daily rituals of shoppers and find out what’s fresh and in season.

Then head for the kitchen, roll up your sleeves and let your cooking revelation begin! Your host will guide you through the creation of a delicious lunch and unlock the secrets behind one of the country’s most famous treats. You will learn how to combine prime quality raw materials and try your hand at making pasta from scratch using fresh eggs and flour. A homemade sauce and a dessert are also on the menu. Recipes are deliberately kept simple and easy to recreate so as to encourage rising chefs to practise their newly acquired skills once they return home.

After the lesson, take a seat around the dinner table and feast on the meal you and your fellow participants just prepared. Depending on the day of the week, tasty highlights might be bruschette with tomatoes, a selection of cheeses, tagliatelle with ragout sauce or ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta, strawberry tiramisù or sbrisolona cake. Compliments to the chefs!

A generous helping of conversation, a serving of shared anecdotes and experiences and a final dollop of laughter will be the topping on your memorable Bellagio experience.