One of the good things about having friends visit me in Lucca is the chance to recommend activities that I think will enhance their experience, things that may not be found in the guidebooks. Sometimes my suggestions include a visit to a “secret” garden, a hidden away little church, a walk beneath Lucca’s walls, or a local festival.

Another activity I like to recommend - and one of the most fun things to do when visiting Italy - is a cooking class with a local chef. Recently I had the pleasure of spending the day, along with some visiting friends, with Chef Giuseppe Mazzocchi at Extra Virgin Cooking Classes (EVCC) in Lucca. And what a day it was!

Tuscan cooking, and Tuscan olive oil, come naturally to Chef Giuseppe. I guess that is what happens when you are born and raised at your grandfather’s olive mill in a small Tuscan village! Giuseppe began to cook alongside his family and many of the recipes he shares come straight from his nonna (grandmother). More than being a talented chef and teacher, Giuseppe has a love for local culinary traditions and flavors that make his classes a wonderful window into Tuscan life.

If Giuseppe is the heart of the kitchen, then it is his partner Liz who lends elegance to the dining experience. Together they welcome you into their home, invite you into their kitchen, and, once the cooking is done, present an absolutely gorgeous table setting at which to enjoy lunch. Liz’s table settings are picture-worthy touches of luxury.

The class day began in Lucca’s historic center with stops at several small shops to gather supplies. Visits to an historic pastry shop, a fabulous bread baker, and the city’s best fruit and vegetable shop provided a fun start to a morning of cooking.

Then it was into the kitchen, a spacious, well-equipped, and charming workspace inside an historic Lucca home. I had a serious case of kitchen envy, especially for the long farmhouse work table, which I swear was larger than my entire kitchen.

Before we got to work cooking, Giuseppe led us through some tastings. First, three different types of extra virgin olive oil, including a local Tuscan oil. Next, a sampling of pecorino cheeses from fresh to aged to really aged, along with a local chestnut honey which perfectly complimented the cheese. There just may have been some sipping of Prosecco while we tasted. Shh. Don’t tell (usually I wait until afternoon for a Prosecco).

The menu this day started with a raw artichoke salad with a lemony dressing. The shaved artichoke rested on a base of the prettiest greens I’ve ever seen, including a variegated radicchio.

We had fun learning how to make, and then shape, the gnudi. Gnudi are interesting. They are essentially the filling for a ravioli, ricotta with chard (or spinach) and parmesan, but without being enclosed in a pasta shell. An egg white and some rice flour bind the soft gnudi together and then they are shaped using two spoons to form an oval that will hold together during a brief dance in some boiling water. We also made a quickly cooked tomato sauce which went over the gnudi at the end. The result was a tasty and light as air dish.

Next up - a fragrant risotto with leeks and just the right amount of truffle butter. If only I could share the scent here - it was intoxicating. We even learned the chef’s secret for preparing a risotto without the constant stirring.

Dessert had been prepared ahead of time for us - a beautiful heart shaped panna cotta with a berry sauce.

Together we plated the panna cotta, topped them with berries, and added a garnish of chopped of fresh mint.

Just when we didn’t think we could eat another bite, cups of espresso came with tiny bites of sweet pastry. Somehow we managed!

After a fun morning preparing food, it was a treat to sit down to lunch at a beautiful table (thank you Liz) and share the meal we had prepared.

Lunch was accompanied by local wines, good conversation, and lots of laughter.

We all agreed that we had spent a perfect day in Giuseppe’s kitchen. We left with recipes, a EVCC apron, and good memories of a day well spent. And we all started planning our return.

Contact info: Extra Virgin Cooking Classes in Lucca with Chef Giuseppe Mazzocchi

Email: tuscancook@gmail.com