Puglia Cooking class "Le orecchiette, che pasta!"

We had a wonderful time with Simona for the cooking class at her home. We learnt lots of interesting facts about Puglia and pasta, and had a lot of fun preparing our lunch with her. We have done cooking classes before but this was by far the most authentic. It's also a great chance to see inside a trullo as well! This has so far been the highlight of our trip to Puglia - highly recommend! Thank you Simona!

Get ready for an entertainig cooking class seasoned with curious stories about culinary traditions, all along side with a deep immersion into italian hospitality

Simona, the host, is very kind and warm. She explains everything with passion. Everybody visiting Ostuni needs to experience her cooking class! This was our second time. Next time we visit the region we will book for a third time.

I attended Le Orecchiette, che pasta with my partner on 10th June and it was just an all round fantastic experience. We arrived at the host's beautiful trullo home in the Puglian countryside and were shown through to her garden where we seated around a large shady table with 5 other guests. For the first 30 minutes we simply chatted and sipped on coffee spiced with chilli and cinnamon and snacked on homemade biscuits. Simona, the host, then gave us a highly enjoyable interactive lesson on pasta and the Italian rules around how it should be served before we proceeded to the cooking. Some of the elements of the meal were made by Simona and her assistant but most of it was done by ourselves. We learned how to make pasta of various shapes (the focus of course was on Orecchiette) and two traditional Puglian sauces whilst enjoying rose and red wine and water. In the time that things were cooking, we were also given a tour of the trullo and learned about its history. The meal itself was absolutely delicious and the atmosphere was fantastic. Simona was warm, knowledgeable and had an excellent sense of humor. The trullo was beautiful and Fig the cat was a particular highlight! Overall this was enjoyable, memorable, felt very authentic and also was excellent value for money. I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys Italian food or is interested in cooking.

We had a great day with Simona and learned a lot about pasta and its preparation. She is a fantastic and very warm host; we felt at home right away and would come back anytime! It was an absolute highlight of our trip.

Informative and very welcome by Simona. You get to have a nice afternoon surrounded by the quietness of nature.

We had a truly wonderful experience spending five hours with Simona at her home and property in Puglia. What made this class so special was that it felt like much more than a cooking lesson — it felt like being welcomed into her world. We were lucky to be the only two students that day, which made the experience especially personal and relaxed. Simona began by offering us coffee, and I happily tried hers with chile, which was delicious and such a fun surprise. From there, she shared her own story of returning to Puglia after a career in finance, and it was clear how much pride and passion she has for the food and traditions of this region. She taught us not only how to make different pasta shapes, including orecchiette, but also the stories behind the ingredients, sauces, and traditions. We learned to prepare three sauces: a slow-simmered tomato sauce, a turnip leaf sauce with anchovies, and a tomato sauce finished with toasted breadcrumbs instead of cheese — a wonderful example of local culinary history and resourcefulness. Simona was patient, engaging, and genuinely fun to spend time with. Even when it started raining and we had to move inside, the experience never lost its charm. We laughed, drank wine during the lesson, and learned so much about the regional differences in pasta shapes, sauces, and cooking styles throughout Puglia. The meal at the end was incredible. We enjoyed our handmade pasta with the three different sauces, along with homemade olives, sun-dried tomatoes, greens, grilled zucchini with garlic, dried figs stuffed with almonds, and a digestive drink to finish. Every part of the experience felt thoughtful, generous, and deeply rooted in place. This was one of the most meaningful food experiences of our trip. Highly recommended for anyone who wants more than a standard class and is looking for a genuine connection to Puglian food and culture.

We had a wonderful time at this pasta cooking class. Simona and Annamaria were warm, welcoming, and very informative—they made the experience fun, relaxed, and engaging. We learned a lot and truly enjoyed the evening. For future guests, it’s helpful to know that the class takes place in Simona’s home rather than a professional kitchen. While it may not be what some expect, it offers a more authentic and personal Italian experience. We also enjoyed a tour of her trulli, which was a special touch. The cooking and dining space accommodates a larger group (we had about 12 people) and is more rustic in nature—uneven flooring, older appliances, and a cozy, traditional setup. Overall, if you’re looking for a genuine, home-style cooking experience with kind and engaging hosts, this is a great option.

We had such an amazing time. Simona is a wealth of knowledge. Not only were we educated about pasta but also all the different sauces in the region. We cannot say enough how we enjoyed ourselves

The cooking class was fantastic. Our instructor was very knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and fun. She welcomed us into her home and shared a great deal of information about so many topics, with us. I learned a lot and had a blast!