Our Signature Cooking Classes

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Many traditional farmhouses in Tuscany used to have a brick oven which was used for bread and pizza done with the local flour. To keep the tradition alive, each Villa at Tenuta Schifanoia has been renovated maintaining the original brick oven. To allow our Guests to get exposed to this tradition, we have organized a one-of-a-kind cooking class that will allow you to master the art of Pizza making using a 300-year-old brick oven with wood fire. 

Our Resident Chef will take your through the steps of selecting the perfect flour mix, stretching the dough, and getting the job done. The class takes 4 hours and includes lunch. The process to turn on the oven takes 3 hours and is done by one of our Rangers using locally sourced wood.

Learn the secrets of the famous Tortello di Patate. The traditional quality of this tortello comes from the particular combination of ingredients and the cooking method, which has remained untouched through the ages. The Tortello is an ancient recipe that goes back to the 1400s when the poet Pulci from the Court of Lorenzo dei Medici wrote:

“Ma soprattutto del buon vino ho fede

Credo che sia salvo chi gli crede

Credo nella torta e nel tortello

L’uno è la madre e l’altro il suo figliolo…”

(I believe in good wine
Those who drink it will be fine
I believe in cake and the tortello
Mother is one, son is the other…)

The tortello di patate was born from poverty: the filling was made from the first potato harvest in 1800. In fact, the filling is an alternative to the chestnut stuffing used in the Apennine areas. The use of local potatoes in the making of the tortello give it a smooth quality that is very much appreciated.

We will take you through all the steps required to make this ancient recipe using only local ingredients starting from flour and eggs. 

Take part in an exciting truffle hunt. You will be guided by an expert truffle hunter and by the nose of his faithful dogs. The truffle hunt take place at Tenuta Schifanoia. We are fortunate enough to produce a variety of truffles throughout the year. So there’s always a good chance of finding these blessed natural treasures.

Departure from the Villa. Here you will meet your expert truffle hunter who will teach you all the secrets about truffles and truffle hunting.

After a short briefing you will be involved in a charming walk in the “Tartufaia woodland” with our special trained truffle dogs.
During the truffle hunting session you will discover how to associate specific truffles to different shrubs and trees, how to recognise sound truffles from overripe ones.

Once back at the Villa, our Private Chef will walk you through a few dishes involving truffles.