In all of our imaginations, a trip to Italy means wandering through charming little streets in a picturesque town, letting them lead us to a stunning piazza surrounded by a few cozy restaurants. The perfect spot is chosen, a table with the best view, and an order is placed—Aperol Spritz and pasta, followed by a traditional sweet treat for dessert.
To be honest, for about 16 years, my visits to Italy followed exactly this pattern—until I decided to step out of my role as a consumer and embrace a completely new one.
Instead of just enjoying the meals, I chose to step into the restaurant kitchen, put on a white apron, and prepare the food myself.
Yes, you read that right! It’s time to tell you about one of my culinary adventures in Rome, where the main characters were myself and my dear friend Bubeto, and the setting was the kitchen of a restaurant in the Italian capital.
I have been to Rome many times, each visit for a different reason—a vacation, a birthday celebration, or simply “just because”.
One day, Bubeto said, “Let’s go to Rome and take a cooking class to learn how to make pasta!”. It didn’t take her long to convince me, and you already know the rest – tickets were booked, the hotel was reserved, and I couldn’t wait to head to Rome.
On the first day of the last month of the year, in the late afternoon, Bubeto and I were strolling through the central streets of Rome, already adorned with Christmas decorations, filling the city with a festive atmosphere.
With eager steps, we arrived in the Piazza Navona area, where the friendly staff of Gusto restaurant welcomed us and guided us to the hall where the Eat and Walk Italycooking classes were held. The tables were already set, with ingredients and products ready for us to make fresh pasta and tiramisu.
For the first few minutes, I stood there nervously, wondering what I was even doing there! But at the same time, I was incredibly excited, as this was a new and different experience for me—one that I couldn’t wait to enjoy.
One by one, the rest of the “aspiring chefs” started to arrive—just like us, they had signed up for the course. They, too, looked quite shy and unsure about what exactly they were doing there, but gradually, their confidence grew, and the culinary enthusiasm became more and more palpable among everyone present.
Our group consisted of about 12 people from various nationalities – English, Americans, Indians, Japanese, and Filipinos. They were incredibly fun and lively, and the atmosphere was simply amazing.
Then, our instructor, Chef Matti, arrived, and with his guidance, we immersed ourselves in the culinary magic of Italian cuisine.
First, we started with the tiramisu, as it needs some time to rest in the fridge or in a cool place to set after being prepared.
We began by making the cream, with Mati calling up different people to assist him. My task was to mix with the electric whisk 🙂 Everyone watched and learned with great enthusiasm and interest, and any doubts about whether we could handle it had completely disappeared.
I can’t even begin to describe the atmosphere among us—it was truly incredible!
Now is the perfect time to share the recipe with you, so you can try making this incredibly delicious dessert yourself!
Please note that this recipe is for two servings, so if you want to make more, simply double the ingredients.
Ingredients:
- Ladyfingers (also known as “Savoiardi biscuits”): 4 (2 per serving)
- Eggs: 2
- Mascarpone: 125 grams
- Sugar: 4 tablespoons
- Coffee: 2 shots of espresso
- Cocoa powder (to taste)
Instructions:
To prepare the tiramisu, we start with the eggs. Carefully separate the egg whites from the yolks.
1️⃣ In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with half of the sugar using an electric mixer until stiff peaks form (it should resemble fluffy snow).
2️⃣ In another bowl, mix the remaining sugar with the egg yolks and start whisking until the mixture becomes lighter and creamy.
3️⃣ Gradually add the mascarpone to the yolk mixture while continuing to whisk.
4️⃣ Keep mixing until you achieve a thick and smooth cream.
5️⃣ Now, using a spoon, gently fold the whipped egg whites into the yolk mixture, stirring carefully from bottom to top to maintain the fluffy texture.
Once the cream is ready, choose a suitable dish—a large glass or a plate, depending on your preference.
- Pour a small amount of the cream onto the bottom.
- Dip the ladyfingers into the cold coffee for a few seconds on both sides, then break them apart and arrange them as the base layer.
- Add another layer of cream, followed by another layer of ladyfingers, and finish with a final layer of cream.
- For the final touch, generously dust with bitter cocoa powder.
Refrigerate the tiramisu for at least a few hours before serving, allowing it to cool and set properly.BUON APPETITO!
So far, that was the easy part. If some of the participants had been mere observers until now, it was time for them to put in some effort – after all, they needed to earn their dinner!
In short, we moved on to making the pasta. We had one large egg, 100 grams of flour, and salt, along with a fork, a knife, a rolling pin, and a surface to prepare the dough. To be honest, I was surprised that so few ingredients were needed to make fresh pasta. The idea was for us to prepare the pasta ourselves, and then the restaurant would cook it and add a sauce of our choice to the final dish.
And so – let’s start cooking!
I shaped the flour into a small pyramid and made a well in the center, then added a pinch of salt and the egg right in the middle.
I started whisking the egg with a fork and slowly added the flour. Remember, when the ingredients are mixed, the entire dough should stick to the fork!
After that, I continued kneading the dough for 5 minutes—it was quite fun!
I ended up with a homogeneous dough, not too firm, but rather soft, just like they make it in Rome!
With my hands, I formed a cylinder and then rolled out the dough with a rolling pin, starting from the center—first in one direction, then in the other—until I achieved a rectangular shape. The dough became so thin that I could see my hand through it.
I added flour when necessary to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface. When the dough became sticky, it was a sign that I needed to turn it and sprinkle a little more flour!
When the pasta was ready, I rolled it from one side and stopped at the center. I did the same from the other side.
Mati gave us some tips and information on how to cut the pasta with a knife according to the preferred size.
- Pappardelle: 1 cm
- Fettuccine: 0.5 cm (half a centimeter)
- Tagliolini: 3 mm
To continue making the pasta at home, follow these instructions:
1️⃣ Bring water to a boil, adding just a small amount of salt.
2️⃣ Add the fresh pasta and let it cook for about 2 minutes.
3️⃣ Once cooked, mix in your chosen sauce and top with a bit of Parmesan cheese (but don’t overdo it!).
Ecco Qua! Your perfect Italian pasta is served!
After we finished cooking, we took off our aprons and washed our hands, as we were completely covered in flour. Then, we sat down to wait for dinner.
I ordered a glass of white wine, and soon a pleasant conversation started with the rest of the group. A few minutes later, our homemade pasta was served, and everyone eagerly dug into their own creation.
I don’t know if it was because I had made it myself, but it honestly felt like the most delicious pasta I had ever tasted in my life!
After that, they brought out the tiramisu, and it was the perfect sweet ending.
An unforgettable experience that I will cherish for a lifetime!
If you also want to immerse yourself in Italian cuisine and discover the chef within you, take a look at the cooking courses available here. I highly recommend trying it out—it will make your trip even more enjoyable, delicious, and unforgettable!
Until we meet again
