Bologna cooking classes

We came to Bologna to enroll in Italian language classes.  When we arrived to the school we learned that they also have a very well regarded cooking program that offers evening programs to students enrolled in the language program.  The three hour evening class (7 to ~10 pm) ends with a three-course meal.  At the start of each week they post the menus for the three evening classes (W, Th, Fr).  After taking our first class (three kinds of pasta: tagliatelle al ragu bolognese, tortelloni di ricotta, ravioli di zucca con aceto balsamico) we couldn't wait until the next class!  We were surprised that in addition to a few language students, there were also several Italian students from Bologna in our classes.  That is a sign of how well regarded the program is.  The class is taught in Italian, but the chef also speaks english well and when asked will explain each step in english too.  The classes are small - six our first class and then 10 the second.  The kitchen is not located in the same part of the City as the language school.  It is on the ground floor on a street popular in the evenings with moderately priced osterias,  trattorias, wine bars and pizzerias.   It is well equipped and clean!

Chef Davide and his students

Preparation of the zucca for the ravioli

Starting the pasta, one egg, 100 g. flour 00

Marlow made a "green pasta" using a tablespoon of puree spinach for color.  We also made a "red pasta" using a tablespoon of tomato paste.

After rolling into sheets so thin you can see through them we cut into squares for the tortelloni.

The finished tortelloni.

Rolling the green pasta.

A ravioli ready to be cooked.

Adding the zucca to the ravioli.

Cutting the tagliatelle.

Our pastas drying for a few moments before cooking.

Plating the ravioli.

Our second class covered fish dishes: a starter of sardines beccafico, ravioli di branzino and polpette di salmone all'arancia.  

Class starts with an explanation of the steps required to complete each dish.  When we arrive the ingredients are laid out in our work stations.  Two/three people are assigned to each dish, but it's very informal and everyone just chips in and helps prepare all the dishes.

The branzino!

Rolling the sardine up around the bread crump mixture.

Cleaned sardines.

Chef Davide creating salmon tartar for the polpettes.

Marlow enjoyed gutting and scaling the branzino.  The guts, etc. are used to make a broth used for the recipe.

The salmon mixed with ricotta.

The breadcrumb mixture for the sardines.

Sardines ready for the oven.  

Lightly steamed branzino ready to mix with a few potatoes for the raviolis.

Plating of the salmon polpettes.

Plating of the branzino ravioli.  Served on chicory and topped with roasted roma tomatoes and chopped almonds.

I enjoyed the classes so much that I requested a private class to watch Chef Davide prepare pasatelli - a pasta noodle unique to Bologna that I fell head over stomach in love with.  Pasatelli is not available in a dry version which is probably why it is not known outside of Emilia Romagna.  It is much easier to make than regular flour based pastas because it does not require rolling or kneading.  It is simply made with equal parts of parmesan reggiano and bread crumbs and egg and nutmeg.  Doesn't that sound great!  It is typically served "in brodo" (chicken broth) but also served "dry" which means it is accompanied by a more substantial sauce and not cooked as long.  Although the "brodo" version is only cooked for three minutes.  All versions are great!  I even purchased a pasatelli press so that I can make it at home.  In the photo below you will see the Chef using a potato ricer to extrude the pasatelli.  That is the "modern" way.  The preferred way is to use a pasatelli press of which there is also a photo below.

Pasatelli in Brodo - the traditional serving.

Pasatelli ball ready for extrusion.

Using the potato ricer to make the noodle.

As sold in the pasta stores.  The noodle is longer than it typically is served.  I have no idea how they manage to get it to be that long!

My pasatelli press.

The cooking program itself is a fantastic and well worthwhile reason for coming to Bologna!


Bon Appetite!


(this is a link to the cooking school web site)
http://www.cookingschoolbologna.com