First Courses
Trofie ~ Fresh eggless pasta twists
Creamy artichoke soup
This is an adapted version of a traditional Jewish-Italian Purim dish.
Buckwheat crepes with squash and chestnuts
This warming fall recipe combines the sweetness of chestnuts, leek and squash with the nutty taste of buckwheat.
Buckwheat crepes with ricotta and spinach
These delicious crepes are a great alternative to pasta. You can make them hours in advance and assemble them just before warming and serving.
Asparagus and sausage sauce for pasta
This is a simple, delicious sauce for when asparagus is in season.
Gnudi – “naked” ricotta and spinach dumplings
These are called "naked" dumplings since they are like ricotta and spinach ravioli without their pasta "clothing". They are easy to make and delicious!
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.
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.
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.
Acquacotta – a delicious vegetable soup
This is an adapted version of a traditional Jewish-Italian Purim dish.
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).
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.
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.
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.
Minestrone ~ Tuscan Vegetable Soup
The distinctive taste of this soup comes from the cavolo nero ("black cabbage"). This has recently been popularized by chefs such as Jamie Oliver and is now available in many farmers' markets.
Porcini Sauce for Pasta
Fresh porcini are wonderfully aromatic and just melt in your mouth.
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.
Springtime Minestrone
A slow-cooked minestrone made with fresh seasonal ingredients and served with good bread is a healthy and delicious dinner or lunch.
Puttanesca Pasta Sauce
This is a great, quick pasta sauce to make while your pasta is cooking. The ingredients are typical of Southern Italy and it apparently became popular in the 1960s.
Eggplant, tomato and basil sauce with ricotta
This simple sauce relies on good eggplants (aubergines), tasty, ripe tomatoes, fresh basil and a good ricotta cheese. A real treat in the autumn at our cooking school in Tuscany!