4.12.12

Tuscan Cookery classes in London with  Lisa Banchieri

Day One – Friday 2nd December 

I dont know "what is the problem"

2nd December –  Friday morning before 6am – I met up with Lisa Banchieri – looking bright as a button despite having got up at 4.30am – to get to Florence airport on time – and we travelled back to London together – sometimes chatting comfortably,  sometimes dozing – but with that complete sense of calm that Lisa carries with her – notwithstanding our challenging days ahead.

The gods were with us and our plane was on time and we got to my house by 10.30am – my old car , which had thrown a wobbly after my previous stint in Florence,  rewarded me for my earlier return by starting immediately and off to the shops we went ! It is always fun to look in other people’s shopping trolleys at the checkout and we got some strange looks at our mound of fruit and vegetables but most surprisingly for all this “healthy food” was the vast quantity of packs of butter and huge cartons of double cream!!!

Home to unpack it all and repack up the food to be taken to my friend’s home for the evening – collect and clean the pastry boards – pack up pasta maker, emulsifier, mixing bowls and feel confident that my equally organised friend Deborah would have everything else we might need ready for use at her house.

Then we made time for a snack tapas at Rebatos in exchange for borrowing his huge “pentola”  – perfect for cooking pasta – many thanks Mate!!

Lisa outside Rebatos with pentola for cooking pasta

With everything squeezed into the back of my car we set off for Twickenham where, true to form, Debs was awaiting us with everything beautifully organised and taking delivery of a crate of prosecco!!  (sadly I was driving (GRRRR!)

Debs had arranged for 10 of her friends to join us for the evening Tuscan Cookery session and they all arrived in good time and were clearly prepared to have one..………!

Another unexpected guest who arrived at the beginning of our evening was Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) – so Lisa took time out for a quick cuddle!

The menu was Italian Christmas canapes, including crostini Toscana, bruschetta with tomato and basil and another bruschetta topped by a very special mix of aubergine and tallegio cheese.

Irene stirring the stock for the pasta sauce

This was  followed by a pear, scallion, pecorino and ricotta filled ravioli made with fresh pasta- which we had to make ourselves.  Above Irene is stirring the delicious gorgonzola, scallion and butter sauce!

Lisa shows us how to add wine to her pasta to make it more stretchy - essential for ravioli

Lisa showed us how to add wine to pasta to make it more long and stretchy – this is essential for ravioli pasta.

Lisa with long and stretchy pasta

We also made the pear, shallots  and ricotta filling and a gorgonzola sauce. The photo below shows Claire and Shirley sneaking extra portions of the pasta filling – Yummy!

Even the leftover ravioli filling was yummy

We finished off the evening with a Tuscan sweet Vin Santo wine and some of Shirley’s special home-made Limoncello!

Shirley and her limoncello

My very deep thanks go to Deb’s for opening her lovely home to us and enabling Lisa and I to have so much fun with her friends and neighbours – we had a wonderful evening and hope you all did too!