A fun, immersive cooking class in Lecce, Puglia

Taking part in a cooking program through my travels is one thing I always enjoy to do. It is a terrific way to master about the community culture and cuisine, and to pick up a new recipe or two. During my visit to Lecce (map), a historic town in southern Puglia, I had the option to be part of a cooking class at the Awaiting Table, the most founded cooking school in Lecce (established in 2003). The faculty presents week-very long programs, as very well as day courses, which I opted for as I was only in Lecce for a couple days. I realized I was in for a treat but it turned out to be just one of the most fun, educative and immersive things to do in Lecce!

There had been 4 of us at the daytime cooking course that working day. We met Silvestro, the founder of the Awaiting Desk, at Lecce’s major square, following to the city’s legendary amphitheatre.

Silvestro welcomed us and gave us a small introduction to Puglian food items and wines just before taking us to the fish marketplace. At the current market, he told us about the various styles of fish and their origins, and the finest techniques to cook them. For our lunch program, he picked some fish and squid, which we would later learn to put together and cook.

From the fish market, Silvestro led us throughout the historic metropolis centre, with its lovely Baroque façades, to the vegetable market. The contemporary rocket leaves, artichokes, tomatoes and mushrooms have been a mouthwatering sight! We gleefully stuffed our baskets – I wasn’t the only vegetable lover in the team – and continued on our way to Silvestro’s cooking school in the town centre.

Found in a historic creating, the Awaiting Table faculty, is equally cosy and vibrant. Stuffed to the brim with cooking guides, pots and pans and all kinds of kitchen utensils, it sure was a cheery sight!

Earning pasta

We donned our aprons and acquired all set for our very first lesson: pasta! Silvestro described the distinctive types of flour made use of, and that barley flour is typically used in Puglia. As we kneaded the dough, Silvestro gave us the choice of distinct pastas we could make. We voted for cappalletti (a pasta shape reminiscent of Mexican sombreros).

It was a enjoyable exercise, employing a glass to lower out shapes from the flattened dough, then folding them in advance of utilising a bottle to build the ‘sombreros’.

Getting ready seafood and vegetables

Following up, Silvestro released the unique kinds of seafood and greens we were being going to eat. He then gave us a masterclass in how to get ready artichokes and squid. Gosh, I experienced no concept how a lot of techniques had been concerned in cleansing and making ready these! Cleaning the squid was significantly challenging. It confident designed me appreciate the operate performed by fishmongers every single day to produce them ready-to-prepare dinner.

A crash program in Puglia wines

Silvestro invited us into the eating space when we were being finished. He proceeded to tell us about wines in Puglia – just one point I discovered is that, opposite to common perception, Primitivo is not the most common grape range in Puglia the most widely-grown grape variety in Puglia is Negroamaro. We then loved a wine-tasting of 3 distinct rosés. Puglia is famous for its crimson wines so it’s no ponder that the most common chilled wines are rosé and not white (although Puglia also generates, among other people, a lovely white assortment called Verdeca).

Cooking our lunch

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

When anyone experienced cooked their dishes, lunch was served. It appeared absolutely mouthwatering! My favourites have been the grilled fish, which was fresh new and tremendous delicious, and the artichokes and sautéed wild rocket. So delicious!

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I seemed about and everybody experienced appears of joy and surprise on their faces ‘wonder’ simply because we couldn’t fairly feel that we’d just well prepared and cooked everything on the table!

The Awaiting Table cooking program confident is a person of the most effective items to do in Lecce! Influenced by what I discovered at this Lecce cooking class, I handed on the classes to my young ones at residence just a 7 days afterwards. We expended an afternoon generating pasta and had a fantastic time!

In addition to cooking courses in Lecce, the Awaiting desk also organises 7 days-lengthy cooking classes (some with yoga and biking) at a nearby castle. For much more data, check out the Awaiting Desk courses.

Note: I was invited by the Awaiting Desk to participate in this course. As generally, all views stated over are mine.