Maria
Cesarina from 2018My speciality: 'Strascinati' (homemade pasta) with turnip tops
I live in: Alberobello
Spoken languages: Italian and English
Good to know
I offer vegetarian alternatives
Maria
"I wake up and see a dreamlike village, as if I were still asleep. The stone encampment in the undulating terrain." (Gabriele D'Annunzio) Scattered among almond and olive trees, trulli are picturesque buildings that are unique in the world. Maria lives in the historic part of the trulli and is one of the last families still living here. Amidst fairy-tale views and enchanted alleys, in our Cesarina's house, you can enjoy a truly unique experience. Maria discovered her passion for cooking when she was seven years old, and today she loves to prepare authentic, traditional dishes using produce from her husband's fields: quality, authenticity, and sustainability.
My specialities
- Tastes of: focaccia, panzerotti, pancakes with ricotta, seasonal vegetables, cold cuts and local cheeses
- 'Strascinati' (homemade pasta) with turnip tops
- Bombette di carne (stuffed veal rolls, with a tasty caciocavallo heart)
Experiences
Cooking classes (3)
Reviews
5.0
24 reviews
- Marie was lovely. Her love of cooking traditional meals was apparent. She shared her garden and it's produce with us.
- Today we visited Maria for an Italian cooking lesson. This was fantastic!!! We were warmly welcomed into her own trulli and she was very interested in us. She explained and demonstrated the cooking very well. Great compliments to Maria. Afterwards, we enjoyed a delicious meal with family, it was really super tasty and definitely a good recommendation to do this. Maria, thank you again.
- Many thanks to Maria, we're from Germany and experienced authentic Italian cuisine with her. The whole thing was in her trullo. Totally rustic. Everything was not just as we imagined, but better. At the end, we sampled everything at the large table in her garden. Simple but incredibly varied and delicious.
- We had a wonderful experience. We cooked together with Maria and then ate together in the company of her husband. We were received very warmly.
- Maria was absolutely amazing! She welcomed us into her beautiful home and taught us to cook a whole range of delicious Puglia dishes. For me, the best thing was that she understood and accommodated my food allergies effortlessly and made me feel super safe and relaxed throughout. I’d highly recommend her to anyone (especially anyone else with dietary requirements!). Thank you so much, Maria. We had a wonderful afternoon and will be making the dishes you taught us back in London!
Jeanette zawacki - November 2025
Translated from Dutch•
Martin - July 2025
Frank - July 2025
Translated from Dutch•
angelique van gaans - May 2025
Tristan - June 2024