Food Tours · Tour

Fettuccine and Tiramisù, Ten People, One Square

Two and a half hours in a restaurant on Piazza Navona, with ten people at most, which is half the size of most classes in the centre. The square you are looking at while you work was the Stadium of Domitian, built in 86 AD for athletics rather than gladiators. The buildings still trace the outline of the seating, and Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers stands roughly where the track ran. Inside, the hosts take you through fettuccine from the dough up: mixing, kneading, resting, rolling, cutting. Then the tiramisù, which is a technique more than a recipe. The yolks have to be beaten until they hold, the mascarpone folded rather than stirred so it does not split, and the savoiardi taken through the coffee quickly enough that they still have structure. Aprons and every tool are provided. Then you sit down and eat what you made, with appetisers, still water, a soft drink, and a glass of wine or a small beer if you are over eighteen. A coffee or a limoncello afterwards on request. Taught in English. Arrive ten minutes early and ask the restaurant staff to take you through; latecomers can only be rebooked at a cost and are not refunded. Not suitable for gluten or lactose intolerance, or for vegans, since the pasta has egg in it. The tiramisù is made with ordinary sugar, which is worth knowing if you are diabetic. Not recommended for children under six or seven, or for guests with mobility difficulties.