Pizza & Gelato or Pasta & Tiramisu Cooking Class Milan

The cooking school in central Milan

The class takes place in a cooking school in the centre of Milan, a bright kitchen set up for groups with individual work stations, so everyone has their own space, board and ingredients. The exact address is on your voucher and is easy to reach by metro or on foot from the main sights. Classes are taught in English by professional chefs who explain each step, then come round the tables to help.

A cooking class in Milan is one of the best things to do in Milan with kids or on a rainy evening, and it fits neatly after a day of sightseeing: the pizza class starts in the early evening and ends around dinner time. Groups mix travellers from many countries, which makes the atmosphere friendly and relaxed. You leave with a recipe booklet in your inbox, so you can repeat everything in your own kitchen.

Pizza making with a pizzaiolo

Pizza was born in Naples, and Italian pizzaioli treat it as a craft built on few ingredients: flour, water, salt and yeast, given time to rise. Your pizzaiolo explains how hydration and resting change the dough, then you mix and knead your own until it turns smooth and elastic. The most fun part is stretching it by hand from the centre outwards, without a rolling pin, to form the airy raised edge.

Next comes the topping: a classic tomato sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil, plus seasonal ingredients if you want to create your own version. The pizzas go into the hot oven for only a few minutes, and the chef shows you how to tell when they are ready. This pizza making class in Milan is practical rather than theoretical, so even complete beginners take out a real pizza they are proud of.

Artisan gelato demonstration

While the dough rises, a gelato maker gives a live demonstration of artisan gelato. You learn why Italian gelato is different from ordinary ice cream: it contains more milk and less cream, so it has less fat, and it is churned slowly so less air is whipped in, which makes it dense and full of flavour. It is also served slightly warmer, so the taste comes through immediately.

The demonstration covers how the base is balanced, how fruit and nut flavours are prepared, and how to recognise good gelato in any Italian shop, a useful tip for the rest of your trip. After dinner the gelato is unlimited, so you can try several flavours. Children and teenagers usually love this part most, which is why the family option of this class is so popular with parents.

The pasta and tiramisu option

If you prefer a daytime class, the pasta and tiramisu option starts late in the morning or in the afternoon. A professional chef shows you how to make fresh pasta dough by hand from flour and eggs, roll it out and shape two traditional pasta types, which change with the season, and prepare seasonal Italian sauces to go with them.

You then make tiramisu from scratch: ladyfinger biscuits dipped in coffee, layered with a cream of mascarpone and eggs and finished with cocoa. Tiramisu became popular in the north-east of Italy in the second half of the 20th century, and mascarpone itself is a cheese from Lombardy, the region of Milan. At the end you sit down together to eat the pasta and dessert you prepared. Choose this option in the booking panel.