Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Pizza school in Napoli?

Can anyone tell me how to find the Pizza School in Napoli?

While  in Sorrento, italy I visited Napoli for the San Genero Festival and street procession (I am Italian American but may have been the only non local there) I saw signs for a  Pizza School

taking the phone number was a waste of time since my language skill are that of a 3 year old and the school would not have thought I was trying to make a tomato delivery to the kitchen!

Back to Pizza. I want to learn to make Pizza in Napoli, where Pizza was born. Can someone tell me where to find this school? A helpful reader told me about the professional chefs school for pizza. 26 weeks would be great but of course not possible. Besides, when the head chef yells slice the mozzarella, i might be picking up a pepperoni!!!!

So my quest for the Napoli Pizza school continues.
Meanwhile, I did watch the cooks at Piazza Fiore in Rome make Pizzia!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Alberobello, Italy A world Heritage Site

Come visit for the fantasy, stay and enjoy the endless kindness of the people of Alberobello.
Yes I visited Alberobello to see the Trullia house I had heard so much about.  They are listed on the World Heritage list and although it is a life ambition to visit most of this list, I know it will not be possible.  But I shall visit as many sites in the countries I do visit in the next 10 years.
My Visit:
Being off season, I didn't expect many tourists and only found a few from the cruise ship, tour bus that stopped for a few hours.  The balance of the 1 day I could stay in Alberobello, the streets were amazingly quiet.   The staff at the "tourist shops"  were always outside, cheery and very welcoming.   They made you feel at home not as an inconvenience or as just part of their job,  as in so many other "tourist locations".
I chose to stay in one of the traditional homes for the "experience" but what I did NOT expect was how kind everyone was:  from the staff at the rental office and the stores to locals I met at the deli and other non tourist locations.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Pasta Lesson in Puglia with Nonna

What do you do when you no longer have a grandmother who can teach you all the great secrets of great Italian food?
What a wonderful day in Lecce, Italy.   This 85 year old Italian grandmother shared her years of experience making fresh pasta with an Italian American who speaks very little Italian.      But that did not matter, this group of Italians shared their time and knowledge freely.   

There is a BIG difference between dry and fresh pasta!  I never knew how the different shapes were created and have even found the ribbed wooden block so I can make the rolled pasta seen in the video.

Yle made all the arrangements for me to find an Italian grandmother (Nonna) who could show me how to make pasta.  I plan to return and learn how to make dolce and biscotti (cake/cookies).

A special thank you to Debora for translating throughout the day.      Martha Stewart I am not, but sono una Italian!