A fun, immersive cooking class in Lecce, Puglia

Collaborating in a cooking program in the course of my travels is some thing I generally enjoy to do. It’s a fantastic way to master about the local lifestyle and cuisine, and to decide on up a new recipe or two. All through my go to to Lecce (map), a historic metropolis in southern Puglia, I had the possibility to sign up for a cooking class at the Awaiting Desk, the most set up cooking faculty in Lecce (founded in 2003). The university provides 7 days-very long programs, as properly as working day classes, which I opted for as I was only in Lecce for a couple of times. I realized I was in for a address but it turned out to be a person of the most enjoyable, educative and immersive factors to do in Lecce!

There were being four of us at the daytime cooking program that working day. We achieved Silvestro, the founder of the Awaiting Table, at Lecce’s most important square, next to the city’s legendary amphitheatre.

Silvestro welcomed us and gave us a quick introduction to Puglian meals and wines right before getting us to the fish sector. At the sector, he informed us about the various kinds of fish and their origins, and the ideal strategies to cook dinner them. For our lunch program, he selected some fish and squid, which we would later on understand to get ready and prepare dinner.

From the fish market place, Silvestro led us throughout the historic town centre, with its stunning Baroque façades, to the vegetable market. The new rocket leaves, artichokes, tomatoes and mushrooms ended up a mouthwatering sight! We gleefully stuffed our baskets – I wasn’t the only vegetable lover in the group – and continued on our way to Silvestro’s cooking school in the city centre.

Located in a historic constructing, the Awaiting Desk university, is equally cosy and vibrant. Filled to the brim with cooking books, pots and pans and all sorts of kitchen area utensils, it certain was a cheery sight!

Making pasta

We donned our aprons and acquired completely ready for our initially lesson: pasta! Silvestro explained the unique sorts of flour applied, and that barley flour is usually utilised in Puglia. As we kneaded the dough, Silvestro gave us the alternative of distinctive pastas we could make. We voted for cappalletti (a pasta shape reminiscent of Mexican sombreros).

It was a fun physical exercise, using a glass to reduce out shapes from the flattened dough, then folding them just before utilising a bottle to build the ‘sombreros’.

Getting ready seafood and greens

Upcoming up, Silvestro released the diverse forms of seafood and veggies we were being likely to try to eat. He then gave us a masterclass in how to prepare artichokes and squid. Gosh, I experienced no idea how a lot of ways were being associated in cleaning and planning these! Cleaning the squid was notably tricky. It certain produced me value the perform finished by fishmongers each and every working day to provide them prepared-to-cook.

A crash course in Puglia wines

Silvestro invited us into the dining place when we ended up completed. He proceeded to inform us about wines in Puglia – just one thing I learned is that, opposite to well-liked belief, Primitivo is not the most prevalent grape wide variety in Puglia the most commonly-grown grape wide range in Puglia is Negroamaro. We then liked a wine-tasting of a few distinct rosés. Puglia is well known for its crimson wines so it’s no marvel that the most well-liked chilled wines are rosé and not white (while Puglia also produces, amongst some others, a attractive white wide range named Verdeca).

Cooking our lunch

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

When anyone experienced cooked their dishes, lunch was served. It looked definitely mouthwatering! My favourites were being the grilled fish, which was contemporary and super delicious, and the artichokes and sautéed wild rocket. So mouth watering!

Study about the most effective sites to pay a visit to in Puglia

I looked all around and all people experienced seems to be of joy and ponder on their faces ‘wonder’ mainly because we could not quite believe that that we’d just geared up and cooked almost everything on the desk!

The Awaiting Table cooking system sure is one particular of the most effective points to do in Lecce! Encouraged by what I discovered at this Lecce cooking class, I passed on the lessons to my little ones at home just a 7 days later. We expended an afternoon earning pasta and experienced a wonderful time!

In addition to cooking classes in Lecce, the Awaiting desk also organises week-lengthy cooking courses (some with yoga and biking) at a nearby castle. For far more details, check out the Awaiting Desk courses.

Observe: I was invited by the Awaiting Table to take part in this class. As usually, all sights said earlier mentioned are mine.