Last evening I had the opportunity to go to a cooking demonstration at a Restaurant in my area: Ravioli’s. The owner showed us how to prepare Italian food from the region of Sardegna on the island of Sardinia. It was a relaxed and enjoyable evening I shared with a fellow foodie friend Kristine and her business partner and my new friend, Wendy.
He prepared the food on a table with a small hot plate right in front of us and after demonstrating the dish he would have the kitchen staff bring out the food he prepared for us to eat. It was a truly great experience.
We started the evening off with an appetizer plate of cheese (Pecorino Sardo), a slice of granny smith apple and two different Italian cold cuts. Along with a tasting of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Items that he demonstrated were Piadina Dough (Italian unleavened flat bread) which he then filled with roasted veggies, Fontina cheese and a Chipotle Aioli that was fantastic (he gave us the recipe and I will post it below).
Next he braised a bed of vegetables (thinly sliced onions, tomatoes, potatoes with fresh herbs) and white wine under a piece of fresh tuna. I am not a huge fan of tuna, but I really liked this preparation. If I make this one in the future, I will use a different type of fish like Halibut.
The star of the show was the herb roasted pig (La Porchetta Sarda). Yes a whole pig (well, it was cleaned) which was stuffed with seasonings like garlic, and fresh thyme, and fresh rosemary and lemons and other goodness. Roasted on a rotisserie for 5 hours – we didn’t have to wait that long.. he had a prepared one in the back and it was moist and succulent. I don’t believe I will be making this one though. It is better if you have 25 people to share it with.
We finished the evening with Coffee and ice cream.
I do recommend looking into local cooking classes like that. It is interesting to learn various cooking methods – and to learn that Italy is not just about the pasta. You may even get the bonus of hearing of driving nightmares in Italy on streets that are “one way” and cars parked in both directions.. and hitting mirrors as you drive in the middle…
For me the star of the show was the
Piadina + Chipotle Aioli
Ravioli’s Chipotle Aioli:
2 eggs
1 tsp mustard
juice of two lemons
1 anchovy filet (optional)
1 chipotle (canned)
Blend the above ingredients for a few minutes and with the motor running add enough Extra Virgin Olive Oil to make an emulsification. Serve as a mayo on sandwiches, or tacos or chips…
The evening out with a few girl friends was wonderful. I so enjoyed the food and fun with others who have a passion and love for cooking. I will be looking forward to more cooking classes at Ravioli’s. Though it was not cheap, it was a special treat. Let me know if you want to join me next time. Here are some pictures from the evening (sorry about the pig if you are squeamish).
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