Hi from Maria Daniela!

In Messina, there are so many things to see: churches, palaces, fortifications, fountains, and monuments. But to truly get to know this city, you also need to taste its traditional dishes. That’s why I believe the best way to experience the real Messina is through its flavors and aromas — and the best place to do that is in my home.I’m Maria Daniela, and I love the sea. From the garden of my 1913 villa, you can look out and enjoy the spectacular view of the Strait of Messina.With me, you can learn how to make maccheroncini al ferro — traditional fresh pasta seasoned with a rich sauce — and Messina-style veal cutlets, a dish I’ve been preparing since I was a child, when I helped my mother and sisters in the kitchen, filling and rolling them by hand.

My specialities

Eggplant parmigiana
Pasta with zucchini, ricotta and basil
Meat rolls of Messina style, cooked on the grill

Reviews

5.0

24 reviews

: It was a unique, personal experience. Beautiful home and venue. Daniela welcomed us graciously into her personal home for some locking cooking cuisines.
: We had a private pasta cooking class with Daniela at her stunning home in Messina, Italy. She immediately welcomed us in and made us feel right at home and comfortable. We were given light snacks and refreshments while she gave us a tour and some history of her hometown. We then learned how to made cavatelli and ravioli with all fresh ingredients from her town and garden. We got to enjoy some stunning views from her terrace while enjoying our home cooked meal which was some of the best pasta we had during our time in Italy. She then served us a homemade cannoli that was the best cannoli we’ve ever had. This will be an experience we will remember for a lifetime and would recommend everyone to book a class with Daniela if you’re in the area!
: Daniela was absolutely fantastic! Our expected all expectations and then some!! Her home is beautiful with stunning views. It was easy to find and walk to from the cruise port. She was so warm and welcoming. We really appreciated how well she worked with our three kids (ages 16, 14 and 9). We had water, wine and appetizers waiting for us along with a beautifully set table on her terrace. She explained some cool things about the area after ensuring we were comfortable. Then the dough making started! She taught us how to make two different types of pasta and made sure that everyone in the family was involved in the preparations. She took photos and made it lots of fun! Then we learned how to make the filling and stuff our raviolis. Finally, we made the filling for cannolis. Daniela then worked her magic and served us two different types style sauces with our pasta. Both were delicious and we couldn’t decide which we liked more! She explained the Sicilian style of both sauces. Then we had our ravioli, which was a fan favorite!! She joined us at the table to prepare the cannolis in front of us. Our family had such a memorable experience. Highly highly recommend Daniela to anyone looking to see and taste Sicilian culture firsthand. Thank you Daniela for making such awesome memories with our family!
: We had a wonderful time, Maria was entertaining, the food exceptional, it was a really great relaxing atmosphere, very much enjoyed our time with Maria. Her homemade olive oil was so....good.
: This cooking class was so much fun! It was so private and Maria welcomed us into her home for the class. I would recommend this cooking class to anyone staying in Sicily.