Matera Cooking Class

About this tour

Learn to make pasta from scratch at a working farm in Basilicata's countryside, where olive groves and vegetable plots supply the kitchen. You'll spend four hours preparing and eating traditional dishes alongside your hosts, working with produce picked that morning. The farmhouse itself uses local stone and timber, fitting seamlessly into the rolling landscape where over two thousand olive trees and citrus orchards define the property.

Highlights

• Hand-roll fresh pasta in a professional farm kitchen
• Harvest-to-plate cooking with seasonal vegetables and fruit
• Taste antipasti and regional wine from the property
• Two-thousand-tree olive grove and organic vegetable plots
• Traditional Basilicata recipes passed through generations
• Four-hour immersive session with hands-on instruction

What to expect

You'll arrive at the farmhouse and meet your instructors in the kitchen. They'll walk you through preparing pasta dough, shaping it by hand, and making a traditional sauce using tomatoes, aubergines or other vegetables picked from the fields. Expect to get your hands messy—that's the point. Halfway through, you'll sit down to eat what you've made, paired with local wine and a spread of cured meats, cheeses and preserved vegetables. The rhythm is unhurried; this isn't a rush through technique but a genuine afternoon in a working kitchen.

Good to know

The farm is accessible by car; public transport options exist nearby if needed. Wear clothes you don't mind staining. Bring an appetite—you'll eat well. Prams and buggies are welcome, as are service animals.