Certaldo Onion Soup
Our local town, Certaldo, had been famous for almost a thousand years for its delicious red onions. A group of local farmers has been growing them and popularising them again. They are used in many dishes. One of the most popular is this simple, warming soup.
Baked Squash Gnocchi
These are not like boiled gnocchi at all, but are creamy balls of squash baked in a tomato sauce. Guests who come on our cooking courses in Italy say that they are one of their favorite fall dishes.
Bean and Escarole Soup (or Crostini)
You can serve small quantities of this Tuscan bean dish on crostini, as an appetizer, or larger quantities as a hearty soup.
Zuppa inglese
This dessert often gets translated as “trifle”. It is a layered dessert like trifle, but is as far as one can get from the jelly and sherry of British offerings.
Pappa al Pomodoro ~ Tuscan Tomato, Bread and Herb Soup
This classic summer dish is very versatile: it can be eaten hot, at room temperature or chilled. It does however rely on ripe, tasty tomatoes.
Small Onions in a Balsamic Vinegar Reduction
Your guests will be fighting over these tangy onions! Remember to provide plenty of bread to mop up the delicious caramelized sauce coating them. At our cooking school in Tuscany, this side dish is one of the biggest hits!
Sundried Tomatoes
Sundried tomatoes prepared like this tend to much tastier than the ones you find already prepared in oil.
Potato Gnocchi & Potato and Spinach Gnocchi
The less flour you use, the lighter the gnocchi will be, but the more likely it will be to go mushy while you wait to cook it, handle it and when it is cooking in the water.
Tuscan vegetable and bread soup
This soup, like many others, actually improves if left for a day or so. We make a large batch and have it in varied ways - without the bread soaked into it but served on top of hot toast rubbed with raw garlic or with the bread and served at room temperature.
Zucchini (courgette) and ricotta sauce
The pungency of the garlic and fresh flavor of the basil make this a delicious sauce. The zucchini that we use on our cooking courses in Tuscany are small and light green skinned.
Budino ~ Italian Crème Caramel
Traditionally a "budino" is made in a large mould, not little individual moulds. It makes for a more spectacular sight when it it served, but be careful when you turn it upside down to serve!
Pasta and chickpea soup
This dish is lighter than it sounds, but is satisfying enough to have as a one-course meal with bread to dip into the bowl. It is a hit on our cooking courses in Italy, particularly the vegetarian ones.
Fruit Bavaroise
This is a great summer dessert which is light, fruity, fresh and refreshing!
Herby turkey breast cooked in milk
This is our family dish which has been passed down through the generations and adapted a little. A butterflied turkey breast is stuffed with herbs and grapes, rolled up and tied and cooked in milk.
Minestrone alla Genovese ~ Silky vegetable soup with basil pesto
This soup is almost too solid to be called a soup. Its flavours are very rich, with the mushrooms and basil really adding a great depth of flavour.
Pasta with broccoli
This is a quick, healthy and tasty dish originally from southern Italy which has many possible variations (some add anchovies, some boil the broccoli in the pasta water etc).
Bonet ~ Caramel, coffee and amaretto dessert
The Bonet (perhaps the name comes from a word for "hat"?) is a traditional dessert from the Piedmont area. There are records of this dish which date back to the noble banquets of the 13th century. Enjoy!
Salsa Verde Canapés
Crostini are little appetizers that you can invent yourself depending on what’s in season and what you have in the house. Salsa verde is a tangy herby sauce often served to accompany boiled meats, but delicious in its own right.
Chicken or turkey breast rolls
Chicken or turkey breast fillets are filled, rolled up and cooked to make a succulent, interesting dish.
Tuscan Chicken Liver Paté
This is the most classic of all Tuscan crostini. Even those who say they don’t like paté love this one!
Fried Zucchini Blossoms
This is a dish to be made and savoured immediately. You can even make it as a pre-dinner nibble while you finish cooking something time-consuming with friends.
Herby Roast Beef
At our cooking classes in Tuscany we always have plenty of fresh herbs in the garden. It's useful to have a few pots on your kitchen window sill to jazz up any dish. The herbs really take this simple classic to another level. Completely different from any roast beef you’ve had!
Fresh Basil Pesto
In the summer, nothing beats the pungent, aromatic flavours and satisfying texture of a home-made pesto sauce.
Butter, Cream & Sage Sauce
This sauce is perfect to enhance the subtle flavours of homemade pasta, ravioli and gnocchi.