Maria Daniela
Cesarina from 2019My speciality: Pasta with zucchini, ricotta and basil
I live in: Messina
Spoken languages: Italian, English, Spanish
Good to know
I offer vegetarian alternatives
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
Experiences
Cooking classes (2)
Reviews
5.0
31 reviews
- Fantastic day with Daniela! So much fun learning to make caponata, arancini, pasta, and cannoli. And so much more to this wonderful food experience.
- Absolutely wonderful experience! Daniela is a wonderful chef and host. We made pasta, carbonara, arancini and cannolis. We ate on the terrace on china, with fabulous wine. Interactive- she’ll let you participate as much or as little as you’d like. The location is fabulous, the food delicious, the experience Devine. And if you’re lucky, Daniela’s mom will show up in full Sicilian old school charm!
- Excellent! So much fun!! Wonderful experience that we highly recommend! Daniella and her family and friends offer such hospitality opening their home to us, recipes and instruction and you get enjoy the food you make! Don’t miss this experience if you’re in Messina!
- We had an amazing time learning to make pasta. Daniela was an excellent host
- Absolutely fantastic experience. Daniela was warm and welcoming, immediately making me feel at home. My cooking experience was hands-on from start to finish, and SO much fun! As promised, I made cavatelli, poperadelli and ravioli all of which was delicious! We finished with home made canolli, of a quality I've not seen outside NYC in the states. A wonderful experience, from start to finish!
Susan Agee - November 2025
Dotty and Jim - November 2025
Trisia & Roy - November 2025
Art and Cindy - November 2025
T. Spicer - November 2025