Learn to make Gnudi Pasta in a private online class!

4.96 (24 Reviews)

Approximately 1.5 hours

English or Italian

Your host Mirella

The aim of Mirella’s cooking class is to share her knowledge about food, its preparation and its Florentine and Tuscan history. Mirella lives with her husband Stefano (her partner in life and in the kitchen!) in a small town called Antella located in the South of Florence. The town is in the Chiantigiana area and is surrounded by the Chianti Hills. Mirella's love for food and cooking comes from her paternal grandmother (nonna) who she used to help in the kitchen as a young child. As an adult she began trying out her nonna's recipes for herself. Her grandmother was a highly skilled top chef and an expert in the history of Florentine cuisine from the Renaissance period. After Mirella completed her schooling, she decided to follow her passion and enrolled at the Istituto Alberghiero in Florence, a school which trains you to work in restaurants and hotels. Over the years she has worked in several restaurants, hotels and schools. Given her vast experience she often had to accommodate special dietary needs such as gluten or lactose intolerance and frequently prepared meals for people of different religions or for vegetarians and vegans. On days when her husband Stefano is available, he will also join you for your experience. Like Mirella's, Stefano’s love for cooking began in his childhood. He was born into a family of pastry chefs who owned several high-quality patisseries in Florence where Stefano learned the trade. As an adult he followed his other passions when he opened a winery and later a restaurant in Elba.

Highlights

Learn to make fresh pasta and Italian classics
Private, one-on-one online instruction with a Florence resident
Scheduled mutually at your convenience (host lives in Florence, Italy (GMT+2))
Customization available for dietary restrictions or preferences
Recipes and ingredients list will be emailed in advance of class
Travel from your own home and learn Italian culinary traditions!

What will you cook together

Gnudi, fluffy ricotta and spinach dumplings in a sage and butter sauce
Bruschetta, grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with fresh tomatoes and basil
Fritti, fried vegetables in a light and crispy batter

Ingredients

See Full Ingredient List

300 g or 1 bag of fresh spinach, cooked
300 g (10 oz) ricotta cheese
2 eggs
3 tbsp flour
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp nutmeg
150 g (1 1/3 sticks) of butter
A few sage leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
3-4 ripe tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
6-8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced or chopped
3/4 teaspoon sea salt, more or less to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Italian bread loaf or a French baguette
12 zucchini flowers (or sage leaves or 1 eggplant, sliced or 2 baby purple artichokes, trimmed)
100 g (3/4 cup) flour
1 egg
1/2 glass white wine or beer
1/2 glass sparkling water
Vegetable or sunflower oil to fry

Gallery

Other Classes From This Host

Online Class Reviews

4.96 (24 Reviews)

Lucy 12 April 2021

"Mirella is kind and thoughtful, as well as an extremely good teacher. I learned so much from class. I am inspired to keep taking classes through Traveling Spoon because this one was such an amazing experience. I would recommend this class to anyone who wants to try a cooking class, and especially people who are just beginning. Mirella made this class fun, and with her husband there to help as well, it was easy and enjoyable."

Susan 2 April 2021

"What a wonderful morning we spent cooking with Mirella & Stephano cooking gnocchi, Tuscan ragu and tiramisu. The house smelled delicious all afternoon! It was a great multi generational experience for my stepdaughter, 2 teenage grand daughters and me. Mirella provided helpful instructions in advance, and guided us as we cooked. I feel confident enough to make the recipes again on my own. Gracie Mirella!"

Amelia 31 March 2021

"We took a wonderful gnocchi making class with Mirella. We made pillowy gnocchi and flavorful ragu, topped off with tiramisu --Yum! Mirella was a lovely teacher and hostess. Her pre-class recipes were easy to follow and in-class instructions clear and helpful. Very fun time!"

Kelly 30 March 2021

"We loved Mirella! She was a fantastic host! We all were a little nervous making tiramisu, which seemed so challenging, but with her direction it was very easy to make and we’ll definitely be able to recreate this recipe!"

Micheal 30 March 2021

"Mirella was a wonderful host and great teacher. Her recipes are delicious and were easy for us to follow. She did a fantastic job helping us through the recipes and made a special effort to tell us about her neighborhood outside Florence, giving the whole experience an authentic Italian flavor. We prepared Gnudi, bruschetta, and fried vegetables, all of which were fun to make and a pleasure to eat!"

Emma 29 March 2021

"Mirella was a wonderful teacher. She was enthusiastic and very engaging. Overall her class was amazing and I would highly recommend."

Anastasija and Nikola 23 March 2021

"The virtual cooking class was a delight! Mirella was very pleasant, helpful and informative with many interesting side stories. She was really able to make the experience authentic, despite the online format. The communication was perfect. Last, but not least, the food was delicious!"

Joy 3 March 2021

"Mirella was wonderful! Well organized, efficient, friendly, helpful. Loved that I could do cooking class with family in different states, since I can’t be with them in person."

Mimi 28 February 2021

"Fantastic experience -Mirella was an exceptional hostess! Her gentle guidance and warm personality made it fun and personable. The resulting masterpiece was delicious and the tips she shared were priceless!"

Valerie 25 February 2021

"Mirella Calvelli is an excellent host. She audibly and visually explains the process thoroughly. She is very genuinely excited to educate and makes you feel that you are a welcome guest in her home. I highly recommend her and the Traveling Spoon as a wonderful experience."

Clare 23 February 2021

"My coworkers and I took a cooking class from Mirella and it was a great experience. Mirella is an excellent host and teacher and explained all of the steps clearly. She made our cooking experience so enjoyable. It was also nice to be introduced to her family during the class. I would highly recommend Mirella’s cooking class!"

Rachel 22 February 2021

"Mirella was an amazing host. Her class was so much fun and the food we made together tasted amazing. She was super friendly and nice and very informative throughout the entire class. I would love to take another class with her!"

Dawn 21 February 2021

"Mirella is a warm and gracious chef/hostess. Her gnocchi and ragu were a big hit with my family! The tiramisu was both delicious and elegant. Mirella provided very detailed recipes and suggestions for some advanced preparation which maximized the use of our time together. She confirmed our progress before proceeding to each new step. Mirella also provided many helpful tips as well as suggestions for modifying the recipes, making them extremely versatile. We enjoyed meeting Mirella’s husband Stefano and nephew, Daniele who participated also. Communication in English was perfect and the Zoom platform worked well."

Mimi 21 February 2021

"Absolutely!! We had a fantastic experience with Mirella and are looking forward to our next one! She was the ultimate hostess and the pace was perfect! My daughter and daughter in law cooked with us and we all loved it! Bravo Mirella!"

Maura 21 February 2021

"Mirella was friendly, helpful, and very knowledgeable. We had so much fun taking her class and the food was delicious!"

Angela 2 February 2021

"We had a lot of fun with Mirella. We did this class for a friend's birthday at our house and even with screaming children in the background, we made it work. The food was delicious and Mirella, her husband and her son were so much fun."

Kirsten 18 January 2021

"Mirella was the perfect host chef...charming, knowledgeable, collaborative and well-prepared. She shared valuable tips for better cooking. And all 3 recipes were truly delicious. The pre-session instructions, ingredient lists and email communication were all easy to follow and helpful to get started. I highly recommend Mirella!"

Stacey 16 January 2021

"My kids and I had such an enjoyable experience with Mirella. She’s lovely and it was nice having her husband and nephew around to demonstrate and help out. We made food that we’ve never attempted before and it was absolutely delicious. This was an all around fun and worthwhile experience."

Matthew 28 September 2020

"Best pesto we have ever made. Mirella was a great teacher and helped us learn how to can pasta sauces. It was great!!!"

Jennifer Atkinson 20 August 2020

"Mirella was a kind and knowledgeable. I wish that we could have been in the same kitchen with her!"

Julia Handel 18 August 2020

"Mirella was such a great teacher! She explained the process, was so warm, and it made me want to go to Italy ASAP. The whole family helped, and I love them all!!"

Olivia B. 19 June 2020

"I had a fantastic experience learning how to make two different kinds of pasta. I was even able to make it without a pasta maker. Mirella was super friendly and a wonderful instructor. "

Anonymous 15 June 2020

"Mirella was an awesome host! She was extremely patient, kind, and the pasta we made together was delicious. I would highly recommend this class to anyone who is looking for a fun experience."

15 June 2020