Learn to cook fresh Bolognese pasta, from tagliatelle to tortellini or passatelli, with Pio in his small apartment kitchen. This is a casual experience with a jovial pasta maker. During your fresh pasta making class in Bologna, you will learn how to roll, cut and cook pasta for a delightful meal that may include a couple of dishes prepared in advance. The cooking portion of your experience will last about an hour before you sit down to enjoy the Italian meal you helped prepare with Pio.
Join Pio at his dining table in his small Bologna apartment and share traditional Bolognese cuisine, particularly fresh pasta dishes. You may enjoy dishes such as a classic tortellino in brodo and tagliatelle with ragù alla bolognese or his lasagne and passatelli in brodo. Pio likes to pay homage to his roots, and often includes traditional Pugliese dishes as well, such as orecchiette with turnip greens. Every so often he reinvents recipes by combining ingredients in different ways. Your meal will include a couple of fresh pasta dishes, a second course, dessert and coffee.
Please note that, as is common in many Italian homes, this residence does not have air conditioning.
This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
An antipasto with parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar, olives, crostiniHomemade pasta with Bolognese ragù: tortellini, tagliatelle or passatelliSecond course meat dish: Bolognese cutlet or other with vegetablesDessert: zuppa inglese or otherPio has always had a passion for cooking but Bologna is where he found his true love, pasta making, so much so that he abandoned his previous life as an accountant to become a full time artisan pasta chef. The word “sfoglia” means “large sheets of pasta” in Italian, and “sfoglina” refers to a female pasta-making woman who uses traditional techniques to make pasta. Pio considers himself a bit of an anomaly because he considers himself a "sfoglino", an Italian word that does not really exist. Pio considers himself very lucky to be able to make a living doing what he loves. He finds cooking to be very meditative and loves spending time with his daughter when they make pasta together.
Besides cooking and rolling pasta, Pio's big passion is American Swing dance. He enjoys dance gatherings in Bologna and if you join him at his home for an evening meal or lunch he may even show you a few steps!
"Cooking with Pio is a wonderful experience, very casual and relaxed and not very formal at all. He loves music and likes to laugh as well. Makes people feel comfortable and welcomed in his home."
"Pio was a great host and teacher... he obviously loves cooking and sharing it with others. My husband is a novice to the cooking... considering toast a huge culinary victory. I understand cooking and enjoy it but am by no means a master. Pio worked well with both of us. We got to his flat, which was easy to find on a major street. We took a taxi but found it simple enough to take a bus back. He had everything prepared for the class.We took time to watch his demonstration and then both mixed our own dough... we kneaded, rolled and stretched all with conversation and paced for our learning. I loved watching my husband learn to roll the tortellini around his fingers. We also made tagliatelle. We learned about other pasta shapes and sizes. While we cooked we learned more about Pio and the town. He showed us the ragu he had cooked prior to our arrival and explained the simple sauce of sage and olive oil he would use for our other dish. Dinner was a nice time with a simple starter and our pasta's... we were surprised by a main protein entree and then a great dessert. Pio sat and shared with us as our wine and conversation continued. All in all it was one of my favorite memories in Italy... I hope to see Pio again and I hope to share the pasta and sauces with friends here in Arizona. Thanks Pio!!!"
"Pio had a friend join him to help translate in English for us and both were so knowledgeable and fun. Pio has a slab that was made just for pasta and rolled it all out by hand. We learned the tricky business of tortelloni as well as tagliatelle. There were several dishes Pio made to show us local favorites- and we had dinner on his patio."
