The atelier visit showcases a collection of exclusive and artisanal objects made with paper and reclaimed materials, combining illustrations, unpublished poems, and unique, special messages related to food culture. The experience includes a carefully designed table setting (placemats, coasters, table decorations, and bottles). Each participant will receive a special card, hand-illustrated and calligraphed with the guest's name.Upon returning home, we'll continue with another surprise seasonal appetizer (bruschetta, fried dough, marinated olives). We'll then prepare homemade pasta with two different organic flours, topped with homemade seasonal sauces. Following that, we'll taste the fried buccellato, a typical dessert from Lucca or, upon request, tiramisu, accompanied by prosecco.

Atelier visit & culinary treasures: an Italian journey

We'll discover the ancient shops of Lucca and their splendid signs, refined works carefully crafted down to the smallest details, that are still present and often perfectly preserved. Among the oldest and still active businesses, we recall Carli goldsmith's shop (since 1665), Giusti bakery (from 1900), Taddeucci pastry shop (active since 1881) preparing Buccellato with a recipe that has remained secret over the years, Massagli pharmacy (created in 1855), Da Felice slice pizza shop, the largest underground wine shop in Italy, a truffle product store, and many others. We'll then enjoy an aperitif together on the city walls, tasting the purchased products (focaccia, pizza, cecina, and buccellato) accompanied by fine prosecco.

Tour of Lucca's historic shops & aperitif on the city walls

We will walk together to discover agricultural excellence following the cycle of the seasons and blooms. The Herbs and Flowers route runs from the historic center of Massarosa to the many farms and flower farms in the area,We will pass through a variety of crops until we reach the largest cultivation of lotus flowers in Italy.We will later go home where we will enjoy dishes prepared with the ingredients we discovered during our walk.

Herb trail walk in the heart of Versilia

In my house cooking is also feeling part of a tradition and a place, and the dishes of my land are the ones that make me feel Tuscan. Let's prepare together some simple recipes, but typical of my country and tasty.After an aperitif that takes into account the seasonality, we prepare together:the cecina, or chickpea porridge, a very low salted cakegnocchi, made from potatoes and flourcantucci, cut and crispy cookies.Let's taste together the dishes we have prepared, sipping wine from local wineries. The cecina will be accompanied by "spuma", a soft drink very common in Tuscany.

Let's prepare three good Tuscan recipes together

After the appetizer, we gather around our table with apron and rolling pin. We prepare pasta together in three different shapes, using various types of flour, purchased directly from the local mill:i pici, a long, rustic pasta that is worked only with the hands;i maccheroni, a square-shaped pasta, which is cut with a notched wheel;ravioli, a filled pasta that can be made with different tools.We will cook them together, choosing the most suitable sauce for each format.In warm weather we can eat outside, on the terrace or on the patio. In winter, we will have company by the burning fireplace.

Cooking class in Tuscany: let's prepare pici together

We start this experience with an aperitif, enjoying a beautiful tray of bruschetta made with simple and genuine ingredients from my area. Then we move on to action! Together we will prepare the famous Scarpaccia Viareggina, made with fresh zucchini, macaroni with our 'garden pomarola', and to finish, Necci with ricotta. It is also possible to prepare vegetarian versions of the dishes upon request. Let's have fun together in the kitchen!

Cooking course with specialties from Versilia

The food our grandparents ate was a little less refined than the one we can eat today, but also more genuine and fresh. The ingredients came from the vegetable garden and the hen house, from the woods and the fields of the village. To taste them, let's prepare together three traditional Tuscan recipes, a bit rustic, but with the flavor of memory:bruschetta and Tuscan croutonswholemeal macaroni (with flour from the local mill)la morsellata (codfish remade with onions)bread cake (recycling dish)Even the aperitif and liqueurs at the end of the meal have the taste of the past, and I prepare them with herbs and fruit from my garden.On request the dishes can be vegetarian.

Special cooking class in Lucca: flavors of the past

Let's have a nice walk, discovering the agricultural excellences of my city Massarosa, on the way of herbs and flowers.Massarosa can be considered the "green heart of Versilia": you can find olive groves, eucalyptus, peach orchards, vineyards, lavender and much more.We will taste the baked Tuscan flat bread of various types, we will stop on the shores of the pond of Manipura lake to taste a board of local products, cold cuts and cheese, in the cool of the olive trees, and finally we will go in a typical place to conclude the walk with bruschette.

Walk through the green heart of Versilia

With panoramic views of the towers of Lucca, we prepare a menu with three different formats of fresh pasta that are part of the culinary tradition of the area using zero-mile products.We start with the freshest flour and eggs to roll out the pasta sheet with a rolling pin and make pasta stuffed with ricotta and spinach and maltagliati pasta served with meat sauce. Potatoes and flour are the ingredients of the third recipe.With an excellent wine from the hills of Lucca we all toast together and enjoy the delicious dishes just cooked.

For fresh pasta lovers: three typical recipes

We begin the experience with a trio of bruschetta that tell the story of the scents and colors of my land: the gold of the oil from the hills of Lucca, the Sorana IGP bean and the Canestrino tomato.At the table we will taste ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta that we made with flour, eggs and rolling pin.Finally we pamper ourselves with a sweet mascarpone cream, ladyfinger cookies and coffee.All accompanied by excellent local wines.I am waiting for you!

Local cuisine with a view of Lucca's towers

In the historic center in a home with a view of the towers of Lucca we prepare two different forms of fresh homemade pasta: a pasta filled with goat cheese, spinach and flavored with nutmeg and a pasta unfilled. With a rolling pin we will roll out the dough for the "maltagliati" with an excellent meat sauce.Before sitting down at the table, let's taste tuscan olives and salami with a Spritz!And finally a typical and creamy Italian dessert: tiramisù with coffee.

In the heart of Lucca, two typical homemade pasta recipes

I am Silvia, a Cesarina who loves to share her cooking with guests. I invite you to dinner at my home, where you can enjoy the authentic flavors of Tuscan cuisine. For the first course, I will prepare tasty potato gnocchi with a meat sauce prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients. The second course will be a treat for the palate: gnudi with butter and hazelnuts, a Lucchese specialty made with ricotta and spinach. Finally, for dessert, I will have you taste a traditional focaccia called Necci, which is sweet and fragrant. I look forward to seeing you at my home for an unforgettable evening!

Pisa: Cooking Classes, Home Restaurant Dining and Food Tours