Assisi Cooking at Alla Madonna Del Piatto

Our experience was wonderful. The agriturismo was lovely and our hosts very gracious. Visiting the market and tasting various items was helpful interesting and helpful. The cooking classes were very well organized with lots of hands-on. Letizia's English is excellent and she is a very good teacher. We made two things in the first class and three things in the second class, but she also gave us lots of information and suggestions for making additional items. The weather was warm and they have a wonderful terrace where we had our lunches. Her kitchen is very nice and set up well for classes. One of the things we appreciated most was that Letizia sent us several menus, well before we went to Italy, and had us choose the things we wanted to learn to make. If we were to make any suggestion, it would be to offer bottled water to their guests. The water is full of minerals and does not taste very good. We would recommend Letizia's classes to anyone wanting to learn cooking of that area. [The program packet] was complete and the maps and directions were excellent (although slightly intimidating the first time we make the drive to the agriturismo). After we had driven there once, it was easy. Mary H., WA

It was great! Letizia was approachable, knowledgeable, and flexible. We LOVED the trip to the cheese shop. We very much appreciated the fact that she customized her menu for us since we're vegetarians. The food was fantastic, and we've actually already bought a pasta maker and made the dishes at home. The setting was beautiful - picturesque and peaceful. The accomodations were comfortable, clean, and met our expectations. The only recommendations I'd have for Letizia is to allow the "chefs in training" to do more of the work at the end - I'd love to have seen how she finished each dish and plated them. Also, providing some nice Italian music during dinner would have added to the nice ambience. Overall, it was a terrific trip and we'd do it again! Shoma H, MA

This isn't a high-powered culinary school - it's an agriturismo operated by two very nice young people, Letizia Mattiacci and her husband... They've renovated a former farmhouse overlooking Assisi, which provides simple but comfortable accommodations... Letizia is meticulous in her preparations and very generous with her time. Sizing my husband and me up as serious consumers of restaurant-style Italian cuisine, with busy schedules and limited time to cook at home, she gave us two lessons in pared-down basics, enough to put a simple but satisfying meal on the table in "in 30 or 40 minutes" (well, less than an hour, anyway). Lesson #1 was fettuccine with three simple pasta sauces: walnut, porcini and sweet pepper, and pesto with zucchini. Lesson #2, basic pizza (Letizia agreed that in many places her version would be called foccacia), three ways: napoleta, alla rucola, and 4 formaggi. And, because I expressed an interest, somehow she also squeezed in basic risotto with porcini. These made for two very satisfying (and filling!) lunches - yes, wine was provided, and salad, and a selection of cheeses, and we also poached pere al vino for desert one day. Letizia wrote out recipes and directions; her English is fine and she was patient, good at explaining techniques and answering our questions. The surroundings are lovely, rolling countryside with Assisi in the near distance. It's just a short drive to many Umbrian hillside towns... This stop made a very nice break, a change of pace from usual sightseeing. Nancy B., New York