Cooking in Como

After two weeks of Academic Travel, we came back to Lugano ready for some great Italian food. And what better way then to make it ourselves in a cooking class on Lago di Como? Tuesday morning Jeannie, Stephanie, Chris and I headed to Varenna, Italy, a small but beautiful town located on the eastern side of Lago di Como for a day filled of laughter, cooking and fun at Ristorante il Caminetto. In order to get there we drove to Menaggio, Italy and hopped on a 15 minute ferry ride to cross the lake.

Crossing Lago di Como with Menaggio behind us

Once in Varenna we were met at the ferry by Rossela, who brought us up to their small family run restaurant situated in the cliffs. Upon arrival, we were greeted by Moreno, the chef and owner, who would be our amazing instructor for the day!

Over the next few hours we watched and learned as he went step by step showing us how to make the dough for fresh pasta, fresh gnocchi, gorgonzola cream sauce and an amazing vegetable sauce.

Moreno making the pasta dough

We then donned our aprons and assembled around the wooden table to learn the proper steps of forming our pasta and gnocchi. We were each given a piece of both the doughs and were walked through the steps of rolling, cutting and forming our little gnocchi pillows and tagliatelle pasta!

Rolling out the dough for the Tagliatelle

Making Gnocchi

After a full day of cooking and anxiously waiting to try everything, at around 2pm lunch was served! We were able to enjoy all the food we made by hand with a few additions, made by Moreno. Throughout the day we were able to enjoy:

• Cappuccino and panforte (a traditional Italian fruit & nut cake) served upon arrival
• Meat & Cheese platter, Before we started cooking, we had a little snack to hold us over
• Gnocchi in a Gorgonzola cream sauce
• Tagliatelle in a fresh vegetable and basil sauce
• Vanilla gelato with strawberries reduced in sugar and orange juice, brandy and balsamic vinegar

Pasta with veggies, meat & cheese snack, dessert
& gnocchi with a gorgonzola cream sauce

Stuffed and content, we left Moreno's Ristorante al Caminetto armed with three pasta and sauce recipes and a certificate of completion from his class. His five hour class went by so quickly, as he filled it with stories and jokes, making everyone feel right at home. If ever in the Milan or Como region, I would most definitely recommend a day trip to his restaurant, to spend cooking and enjoying an authentic taste of Italy! Moreno and Rosella make you feel right at home and will cater the class specifically to your wants and needs. All four of us thought the class was a great experience and it is something that I will always remember. I can't wait to attempt to recreate the gnocchis back in NY! 

After our cooking class in front of Ristorante il Caminetto