Course itinerary
Arguably one of the best culinary regions in Italy, Puglia produces more wine and olive oil than any other region of Italy. It is also the country’s third largest producer of organic foods and you will learn to cook a variety of local Italian dishes using organic ingredients sourced from the surrounding area on this incredible 7 night/8 day Italian cookery holiday.
You will stay in your own individual Trullo with private en-suite bathroom, a domed roof and beautiful white-washed walls inside a remarkable renovated Masseria in the heart of Puglia.
With over 300 days of sunshine every year, Puglia is the perfect place to soak up the sun and relax with new friends. Enjoy lazy afternoons sampling local wines on the terrace at the Masseria overlooking the expanse of private land.
Culinary tours and excursions between lessons are a great way to discover the real Puglia and see just what the area has to offer and of course sample the renowned food and wines available in the region.
Food will be locally sourced from the cooking school’s own farmland and the surrounding farmers in the area, so you really will gain a fantastic knowledge of where the ingredients you are cooking with have come from. All of the food is organic and of the highest quality, and you will have the chance to visit the suppliers during some of the daily excursions, which include a visit to the local seafood and fish market and a wine museum.
Fun and informal cookery lessons with local cooks Maria and Zina will teach you how to cook authentic and delicious Italian recipes in an airy and rustic kitchen in the local cookery school. You will learn how to prepare and cook a wide range of breads, pastas, risottos and of course many sumptuous deserts.
This Italian cookery holiday will ignite your passion for cooking with fresh ingredients and great company, and teach you easy recipes you can take home with you and recreate with friends for years to come.
Suitability
- Cookery holidays are suitable for all levels from complete beginners to experienced cooks
- Minimum age 18
- Your hosts are Italian and speak a little English so all cooking classes are taught in Italian with an English translator on hand at all times both during the cooking classes and on the excursions
Travelling Solo?
- These cookery holidays make great singles holidays as there is a really social atmosphere with group dinners, lessons and organised excursions
- There are no single supplements on this holiday and you will be allocated your own private single room for no additional cost, making this cooking holiday a fantastic option for solo travellers
Organic Italian Cooking Holiday Start Days
- All arrivals are on Friday afternoons on set dates
- Cooking holidays are for 7 nights/8 days
- If you wish to stay for extra nights please email to check availability for your preferred duration and we will do our best to accommodate you
- If dates appear ‘on request’ please email us hello@golearnto.com and we’ll check availability for your preferred day of arrival as quickly as possible
Organic Italian Cookery Holiday Itinerary
The itinerary is for guidance only and is subject to change depending on the group’s needs and wishes but is typically as follows:
Day 1- Friday - Arrival and welcome dinner
- You will be met at Bari or Brindisi airport for your transfer to your authentic Italian accommodation
- Get to know the other guests over welcome drinks and dinner upon arrival, followed an introductory talk outlining the program and local area, and inspiring you to set foot into the kitchen tomorrow
Day 2 – Saturday – First cooking lesson, visit to Alberobello, dinner
- Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before heading to the cookery school for your first cookery lesson with local cooks Maria and Zina
- Today you’ll learn how to make Puglia’s favourite ‘ear-shaped’ Orchiette pasta, followed by stuffed Braciola and finished off with a classic Tiramisu
- After the lesson you will eat your freshly cooked dishes for lunch
- You will have an excursion to Alberobello in the afternoon, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its fascinating ‘Trulli’ – the quaint dome shaped houses unique to Puglia
- Dinner will be served at a popular local restaurant offering simple but delicious home cooked Italian food
Day 3 – Sunday – Savelletri seafood market, free time in Polignano al Mare, dinner
- After breakfast you will visit Savelletri, a picturesque fishing port near Fasano, and explore the bustling local seafood and fish market
- Lunch will be served at the cookery school, before heading to Polignano, this enchanting seaside town is situated on top of limestone cliffs has restaurants remarkably built into the caves
- You will have several hours of free time to amble through the winding roads and medieval buildings, stopping at shops and bars along the way
- Dinner tonight will be at a seafood restaurant with stunning views of the sea, where you will be served fish freshly caught that day
Day 4 – Monday – Second cooking lesson, wine museum tour and tasting, dinner
- After breakfast it’s time to return to the kitchen for your second hands-on cooking lesson to make your delicious lunch
- The dishes you will learn to make today include Cavatelli al Frutti di Mare and mixed fried fish, finishing off with a heavenly dessert of lemon tart
- Relax with the group over your freshly prepared lunch
- Puglia is the sixth biggest wine-making region in the world so this afternoon you will head to the local wine museum for a guided tour and an opportunity to taste the local primitivo wines and see just what makes them so popular
- A group dinner will be served at a family run local restaurant serving a variety of local specialities and good wines
Day 5 – Tuesday – Free time, third cooking lesson, dinner
- You will have free time this morning to spend as you wish – take a taxi to the local attractions which your hosts will be happy to provide you with information on, or simply relax on the sunny terrace after a lie-in
- You will be collected late afternoon for your third cookery lesson, where you will be taught how to make a classic lasagne, stuffed meat loaf, and an Italian baked cheesecake, which you will enjoy with a glass of wine over dinner later this evening
Day 6 – Wednesday – Local delicacies visits, fourth cookery lesson, dinner
- Today after breakfast you will visit local restaurants to see traditional Foccacia bread being baked in the olive branch ovens, and also participate in a hands-on demonstration of how mozzarella cheese is made by a local chef
- A light lunch with a glass of wine will be served this afternoon, leaving space for the food you’ll be cooking for dinner
- Your fourth cookery lesson is spent cooking Rick Stein’s favourite dish from Puglia – ‘Fave Cicorie’. You will also learn how to bake a delicious Parmigina and a dessert of rich chocolate tart, and eat these dishes with your fellow chefs for dinner
Day 7 – Thursday – Visit to Martina Franca, free time, fifth cookery lesson, dinner
- Once breakfast has been served you will travel to Martina Franca, the beautiful old city surrounded by stone walls, to wander around the local market with its seasonal produce
- You will then have free time to shop, explore and find your own lunch in Martina Franca
- In the afternoon it’s time to head back to the cookery school, inspired by the food you’ve seen and sampled in the morning
- Today you will whip up Papardelle pasta, asparagus risotto and authentic Focaccia bread with Cartellate for dessert. Relax and enjoy this delicious menu with the group on your final evening
Day 8 – Friday – Departure day, walking tour of Fasano
- After a leisurely breakfast you will have a walking tour of the historical centre of Fasano and learn about the town’s 1000 year old history
- Take some time to meander around the narrow streets past churches, ancient palaces and the ruins of the town’s walls and towers and be enthralled by it’s fascinating past
- It’s then time to bid Puglia farewell as you are transferred to the airport, taking with you your newfound culinary skills, new friends, and memories to last you a lifetime
About Your Cooks
- You will be taught to cook by Maria and Zina, local ladies whose traditional cooking techniques have been passed down to them through the generations
- Their knowledge of good food and traditional recipes are endless and they are patient and passionate teachers
- Expect lots of fun and laughter in the kitchen with Maria and Zina in this traditional cooking environment
- Maria and Zina love to share the wonderful cuisine Puglia has to offer with students and you will not be disappointed by their knowledge and passion
- Please note that Maria and Zina speak Italian and a little English but a translator will be on hand to translate anything you don’t understand to English at all times throughout the week
What Will I Learn?
- Your week will build on your cooking skills with the aim of teaching you how to create simple and authentic Italian recipes that you can take back home with you and easily recreate
- You’ll learn how to make many three course meals which are perfect for dinner parties
- You’ll learn where the food you will be cooking with has come from through a number of visits and excursions
- Wine tasting skills at a local wine museum
- You’ll make a variety of pasta dishes from scratch
- Focaccia bread making
- Fish and seafood cooking
- During your holiday you’ll prepare traditional desserts and tarts
- The style of food will be classic Italian dishes as well as local delicacies to Puglia
Sample Menus
Dishes vary according to the season and what food is available but may include:
- Orchiette (small ear shaped pasta with Ragu sauce)
- Braciola (stuffed meat slices)
- Tiramisu
- Cavatelli al Frutti di Mare
- Frittura mista di pesce (mixed fried fish)
- Torta al limone (lemon tart)
- Lasagne al forno
- Polpettone di Carni (stuffed meat loaf)
- Crostata alla Ricotta (Italian baked cheesecake)
- Fave Cicorie (broad bean puree with chicory)
- Parmigiana (baked layered dish with aubergine, tomato and cheese) - Torta al cioccolato (chocolate tart)
- Papardelle ai porcini e speck (pasta with ham and mushrooms)
- Risotto agli asparagi (asparagus risotto)
- Focaccia alla cipolla (Focaccia with onions)
- Cartellate (crisp pastry spirals, deep fried then drizzled with honey).
- Please note that if you do have dietary requirements (including vegetarians), this must be mentioned in ‘special requests’ at the time of booking and your hosts will try their best to accommodate this
The ‘Trullo’ Accommodation
- You’ll stay in a traditional converted farmhouse, or ‘Masseria’, which is one of the oldest and most rustic in the region
- Each room is located inside a private ‘Trullo’ – a charming cone shaped structure unique to Puglia, ensuring complete peace and tranquillity during your stay
- There are 6 rooms in the Masseria which can sleep a maximum of 12 guests
- If you are travelling solo, stay in your own private single room with en-suite bathroom for no additional supplement
- Rooms are decorated in a rustic style with stone features and whitewashed walls
- Rooms all have private bathrooms, televisions and heating for winter months
- The Masseria has a spacious breakfast room and a sunny terrace which is perfect for eating outside or simply relaxing and absorbing the beautiful views
- The Masseria has over 3000 square metres of private secluded land, which your hosts produce their own ricotta cheese and wine from and you are of course free to walk around and explore
- Prices are based on 2 sharing a twin/double room with bathroom and there are no single supplements for solo travellers who will be allocated a private single room
- Accommodation is included for 7 nights / 8 days
- Check in is at 4pm and check out is at midday but can be flexible to accommodate later flights
Meals
- Breakfast is included daily
- 5 lunches on days 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 are provided and may be the dishes you’ve learned to cook during cooking lessons or are lunches taken out during your many excursions
- On day 5 you will need to budget for your own lunch (extra cost)
- Dinner is included each night with the group and wine and soft drinks are included
- You will enjoy all of the dishes you cook during your cookery lessons through the week for either lunch or dinner as well as meals in local restaurants
- If you have dietary requests these must be communicated to us at the time of booking
Free Time In Italy
- This organic Italian cookery holiday is crammed full with culinary excursions and cookery lessons, but you will have sufficient time to explore the local area
- Your hosts will give you lots of information on what activities are on offer in the area such as the local markets, walks, sights and more or you may just wish to explore the farmland where you’ll stay to chat with the local farmer and find out more about how they make cheese and produce the olive oil on the estate
Discover Italian cooking at its best through a range of hands-on cookery lessons, stunning traditional accommodation, delicious food and wine, gastronomic excursions, and fantastic company on this organic Italian cookery holiday with a difference