I have always loved gnocchi and when I saw that La Massaria in Stellenbosh was offering a cooking course, I was so excited.
Miki Ciman, the owner, started the business by making cheese which later developed into a small restaurant.
Miki explained how gnocchi can be made with left-over stale bread, a recipe which developed from wanting to use up all the left overs and not waste anything.
We learnt to to make gnocci from potatoes and another recipe for spinach and ricotta.
The sauces where decadent and delicious.
A Mammarosa sauce which is a Napoletana sauce cooked with cream, as well as burnt butter and sage.
After our hard work we all sat down on the terrace and enjoyed large servings of freshly made gnocchi.
There was a bowl of thinly grated parmesan cheese, sugar and cinnamon which we sprinkled over both sauces which was surprisingly good. I tried it on buttered toast the next day and it was delicious.
Here is a list of the upcoming courses at La Masseria:
26 March; 21 May: Fresh Pasta : plain pasta shapes
Fresh, handcrafted pasta from scratch: Tagliatelle & Tagliolini , Orrecchiette
Plus traditional accompanying sauces:
Napoletana / Bolognaise / Duetto (Mascarpone & Gorgonzola) / Butter and sage/ Mammarosa
2 April ; 28 May: Pasta, Pasta, Pasta: Delicately handcrafted filled shapes
Filled pastas: Panzerotti Ricotta e Spinaci and Capellacci Butternut
Plus traditional accompanying sauces:
Napoletana / Duetto (Mascarpone & Gorgonzola) / Butter and sage
9 April: Gnocchi
Learn to make these fluffy light dumplings like Mamma used to…from start to finish.
Potato Gnocchi, Ricotta & Herb Gnocchi, Butternut Gnocchi…with delectable sauces
26 Feb; 19 March ; 7 May: Our daily bread
Artisanal breadmaking the Italian way…:
Pagnotta Pugliese, Plain and stuffed Ciabattas…
5 March ; 14 May: Pizza Pizza!!
Making the true original Neapolitan pizza: from dough and toppings to die for!
Foccaccia – bread or pizza?
Pizza fritta
Price: R375 per person per class:
