A fun, immersive cooking class in Lecce, Puglia

Collaborating in a cooking class through my travels is one thing I generally really like to do. It’s a wonderful way to understand about the neighborhood tradition and delicacies, and to decide up a new recipe or two. Through my pay a visit to to Lecce (map), a historic town in southern Puglia, I had the option to sign up for a cooking course at the Awaiting Desk, the most set up cooking college in Lecce (established in 2003). The college features 7 days-extended classes, as perfectly as day classes, which I opted for as I was only in Lecce for a number of days. I knew I was in for a deal with but it turned out to be 1 of the most enjoyment, educative and immersive points to do in Lecce!

There had been 4 of us at the daytime cooking course that working day. We fulfilled Silvestro, the founder of the Awaiting Desk, at Lecce’s principal sq., upcoming to the city’s iconic amphitheatre.

Silvestro welcomed us and gave us a short introduction to Puglian food and wines prior to using us to the fish industry. At the industry, he told us about the numerous types of fish and their origins, and the most effective approaches to cook dinner them. For our lunch class, he picked some fish and squid, which we would later on understand to get ready and prepare dinner.

From the fish sector, Silvestro led us across the historic town centre, with its wonderful Baroque façades, to the vegetable market. The contemporary rocket leaves, artichokes, tomatoes and mushrooms had been a mouthwatering sight! We gleefully crammed our baskets – I wasn’t the only vegetable lover in the group – and ongoing on our way to Silvestro’s cooking college in the city centre.

Positioned in a historic creating, the Awaiting Table faculty, is the two cosy and vibrant. Crammed to the brim with cooking guides, pots and pans and all kinds of kitchen area utensils, it positive was a cheery sight!

Building pasta

We donned our aprons and received completely ready for our initial lesson: pasta! Silvestro described the unique types of flour utilised, and that barley flour is frequently employed in Puglia. As we kneaded the dough, Silvestro gave us the alternative of distinct pastas we could make. We voted for cappalletti (a pasta form reminiscent of Mexican sombreros).

It was a pleasurable exercise, applying a glass to cut out styles from the flattened dough, then folding them just before utilising a bottle to generate the ‘sombreros’.

Preparing seafood and vegetables

Following up, Silvestro released the various varieties of seafood and vegetables we had been likely to eat. He then gave us a masterclass in how to prepare artichokes and squid. Gosh, I had no concept how numerous ways were being associated in cleansing and making ready these! Cleansing the squid was especially tough. It positive designed me recognize the do the job carried out by fishmongers each day to supply them ready-to-cook.

A crash program in Puglia wines

Silvestro invited us into the eating place when we have been done. He proceeded to inform us about wines in Puglia – just one issue I figured out is that, contrary to common perception, Primitivo is not the most common grape range in Puglia the most widely-developed grape range in Puglia is Negroamaro. We then liked a wine-tasting of three diverse rosés. Puglia is famed for its pink wines so it is no speculate that the most popular chilled wines are rosé and not white (while Puglia also makes, among some others, a attractive white wide variety known as Verdeca).

Cooking our lunch

Immediately after the wine-tasting, we had been invited, a single by a person, again into the kitchen area to prepare dinner the dishes. I volunteered for the pasta dish: cappalletti, cherry tomatoes and squid.

When every person had cooked their dishes, lunch was served. It appeared absolutely mouthwatering! My favourites ended up the grilled fish, which was clean and tremendous delicious, and the artichokes and sautéed wild rocket. So mouth watering!

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I seemed all around and every person had appears to be like of pleasure and marvel on their faces ‘wonder’ for the reason that we could not very imagine that we’d just organized and cooked every little thing on the table!

The Awaiting Desk cooking system positive is just one of the best matters to do in Lecce! Inspired by what I discovered at this Lecce cooking course, I passed on the classes to my young children at property just a 7 days later. We spent an afternoon creating pasta and experienced a wonderful time!

In addition to cooking lessons in Lecce, the Awaiting table also organises 7 days-long cooking courses (some with yoga and cycling) at a nearby castle. For a lot more info, test out the Awaiting Table programs.

Take note: I was invited by the Awaiting Desk to participate in this class. As usually, all sights mentioned above are mine.