Food Tours · Tour

The Mozzatura, the Acrobatics, and Your Own Margherita

Neapolitan pizza-making is on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage, which is unusual for a food and is the correct decision: it is a craft with rules, and the rules are the whole thing. Three hours in a lab in the historic centre, five minutes from the Duomo, and you make a Margherita from the beginning. The dough is the operator's own recipe, handed down, and kneading it by hand is where most of the learning happens. Then the tomatoes, the mozzarella and the basil, and into a traditional oven. Two things happen alongside that most classes do not offer. There is a live demonstration of pizza acrobatics and tossing, which is a real skill and looks it. And there is the mozzatura, the traditional way of cutting mozzarella by hand, which is where the name of the cheese comes from. Tiramisu follows, made properly, and you get a personalised diploma for both. The appetizer is Neapolitan: homemade bread with Vesuvius cherry tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil, and those tomatoes grow in volcanic soil, which is why they taste the way they do. A drink of your choice, wine, beer or a soft drink. Apron, dough tools and chef's hat provided. Three hours, in English, Italian, French or Spanish. Under-18s need a parent or guardian. Prams fine, service animals allowed. No pick-up.