Appetizer:
-Mix Bruschetta toasted bread slices with fresh tomato or vegetables
-Fried vegetables (zucchini/zucchini flower, onion, etc.) with batter
First Course:
-Tagliatelle/Ravioli handmade pasta using rolling pin or pastamaker
-Gnocchi dish made with fresh potato dough
-Gnudi dish dish made with dough balls of spinach and ricotta cheese
The first course will be served/sauted with fresh tomato sauce or tuscan beef ragù.
Main Course:
-Chicken Cacciatore
Cuts of a whole chicken with tomato and olives
-Caterina de Medici's pork bites (renaissance recipe) with prunes and pine nuts
-Eggplant parmesan (vegetarian option)
eggplant slices fried with tomato sauce and then cooked in the oven.
The main course will be server with a side dish of florentine peas or cannellini beans.
Dessert:
-Tiramisù mascarpone cheese cream with lady finger biscuts coated in cold bitter coffee and with a spread of cacao powder on top.
-Panna cotta heavy cream with milk and fresh fruits or chocolate
In-home meal: (2-15 guests) our approach to cooking has been influenced by our Florentine, Tuscan and proudly peasant roots which have made us appreciate the richness of ‘poor’ people’s food. Peasants couldn’t afford to throw anything away and so they invented the most ingenious ways of recycling yesterday’s leftovers, like “la ribollita”, the famous Tuscan vegetable stew made with dried bread. Our cooking is also greatly influenced by Renaissance cooking, especially the dishes served at the Medici court. Cooking for the Tuscan nobility was an art and ingredients were rich and expensive.
We have a different menu for every season, as we prefer using seasonal ingredients in our cooking. Some of the dishes you might eat during the winter are bruschetta with sausage and stracchino cheese, ribollita (stew) or Florentine pork with peas. In spring you may be served a vegetable tart, penne with ragù sauce (meat-based sauce), peasant’s meatballs with seasonal vegetables and cioccolatissimo (extra rich chocolate dessert). The summer may include dishes such as bruschetta with tomato and basil, fresh cheeses and honey, pappa al pomodoro (made with dry bread, tomatoes and olive oil), hunter’s chicken with roast potatoes and tiramisù. In autumn you may be treated to eggs with caper salsa, pecorino cheese and salamino grapes, pumpkin risotto, pork with prunes and pinenuts, and chocolate flan.
These are only examples of our seasonal menus - they can be changed to accommodate special requests. Wine is included in the cost of the meal.
Cooking experience: (1-12 guests) The aim of the cooking class is to share our knowledge about food, its preparation and its Florentine and Tuscan history. We prefers conducting a hands-on class, where travelers will learn how to make dishes themselves. We will teach you how to make 3-4 of the dishes you will be eating after the lesson, such as various bruschette or antipasto, a pasta, a main, pasta sauces and other seasonal recipes. Weather permitting, We will host the cooking and meal experience in our outdoor garden area!
Market visit: (2-6 guests) You will visit Sant'Ambrogio, one of the more central markets in Florence, a 30 minute drive from our home. During the market visit you will visit local producers of wine, oil, fruit and vegetables. This will be a fun filled experience of buying food, talking about food, preparing food and finally eating together!
The meal price includes a glass of prosecco (Italian white wine) with the antipasto (hors d'oeuvre) and two glasses of wine with the meal. we also offer limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur) and/or vin santo (Italian dessert wine) with dessert.
Mirella
Hello!
We are Mirella & Stefano, a couple in life and in the kitchen!
We are both professional chefs with more than 30 years of experience in this sector (hotel, catering and restaurants).
For more than 10 years we also developed a passion for hosting cooking lessons/social eating events.
Our experiences are built around sharing
our culture, history, traditions and food with everything tied together by art.
During our lessons we will explain how to prepare tuscan dishes while cooking together and sharing anecdotes and stories about the recipes.
On top of offering cooking lessons we also like to host market tours + lunch so that our guests can experience first hand where our fresh ingredients are picked and bought in Sant'Ambrogio Market in Downtown Florence.
Our cooking lessons will take place in our house and duriing summer if weather permits in our large garden.
The closest station
Santa Maria Novella Station (Florence)
How to get to the station?
From Santa Maria Novella Station (Florence): 30mins
Exact location provided after booking.
Up to 9 people can join Mirella's cooking class.
It costs 120 per person.
Yes, Tuscan Cooking Class with Chefs Mirella & Stefano has a vegetarian option.
Duration of this cooking class is 4 hours.
Yes, Tuscan Cooking Class with Chefs Mirella & Stefano has a vegan option.
You will receive the confirmation within 24 hours.
We accepts these cards on airKitchen.
Cancellations up to 48 hours prior to the class begins will be fully refunded by the airKitchen cancellation policy.