Course Details – The Yorkshire Wold Cookery School – Wold Escapes 

Carmela is a passionate Italian cookery tutor who specialises in the art of making pasta known as a pastaia (specialist pasta maker).

From simple yet delicious dinner party dishes to elaborate desserts and mesmerising yet stunning pasta dishes. Carmela’s mantra is to cook all dishes within our UK seasons whilst showing and highlighting the beauty that can be made and presented from the humble Italian kitchen. Carmela’s classes will open your eyes to the wonder and possibilities that can be found within the arms of the 20 regions that embrace Italy. From the Northern regions which feature heavily the use of butter, rice, polenta, truffle and game to the southern regions which showcase the abundance of seasonal vegetables, fruits, fish, seafood, pasta and olive oil. Are you ready to learn the correct skills to master the perfect risotto, the smoothest polenta or a simple plate of perfectly pinched tortellini pasta? A feast for the eyes as well as the tummy!

This pasta masterclass will focus on five pasta shapes and 5 unique sauces. Please note the menu may change depending on the availability of certain ingredients:

Lunch will be of dishes made with the rest yours to take home.

Class dates:

A Taste of Italy – New Class for 2024

Awaiting new date

100.00 – 4.00pm

£150.00 per person

Menu for four diners

  • Biscuit soup with vegetable stock.
  • Baked ricotta filled tortelli with a cherry tomato and Parmigiano Reggiano sauce.
  • Basil infused pannacotta with a berry compote.

Carmela will also demonstrate how to make a fresh seasonal risotto.

A Passion for Pasta

10.00am  -4.00pm

£150.00 per person

Carmela will take you from basic pasta making and demystify any concerns you have, leaving you feeling inspired and confident.

  • Mastering basic pasta dough: Semola di grano duro rimacinata and water. We will form Spizzulus, gnocchetti sardi and maccheroni al ferro by hand.
  • Hand turned ricotta and oregano cavatelli with a silky dolcelatte and pea sauce.
  • Potato gnocchi with a lentil and bean ragu.
  • Herb laminated ravioli with a breadcrumb filling served in freshly made vegetable stock
  • Tomato cappelletti filled with a decadent pork, sausage and veal filling.

Italian Dining made easy

Awaiting new date

10.00am – 4.00pm 

£150.00 per person

Winter Class

Learn to cook and plan an Italian meal.

  • Artichoke, roasted pepper & banana shallot frittata with a balsamic glaze.
  • Ricotta cavatelli with an Italian sausage and bean ragu.
  • Polpettone (Italian meatloaf) filled with whole boiled eggs, wrapped in basil leaves and sheets of finely sliced Parma ham. Baked in white vermouth. Sliced and served with a slow cooked shallot sauce and a side of cavolo nero and tomato sauce (in umido).
  • Pear and prosecco tiramisu

Spring Class

  • Spätzle with asparagus pesto
  • Pasta Imperiale – Biscuit soup from Emilia Romagna.
  • Crespelle alla Fiorentina – Savoury pancakes filled with spinach and ricotta, rolled and baked. Topped with a tomato sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano.
  • Veal escalope cotolette–  Breaded cutlets dusted in a delicious savoury polenta mix,  served with a stem broccoli and lemon salad.
  • Dark chocolate and amaretto cake with a whipped mascarpone crema.

Risotti, arancini, polenta & gnudi

This is a new class Carmela has put together celebrating some of her favourite ingredients, from rice to polenta and ricotta.

10.00am – 4.00pm

£150.oo per person

You will learn how to make 2 different seasonal risottos, then forming, filling and crumbing them into arancini. Arancini are small rice filled balls that are deep fried, the most wonderful Sicilian street food. Followed by polenta pizza and poached ricotta and spinach gnudi in a wonderful cherry tomato sauce.

  • Pumpkin and amaretti risotto
  • Saffron risotto
  • Saffron and mozzarella arancini
  • Polenta pizza
  • Spinach & ricotta gnudi , poached and settled on a bed of tomato sauce.

Italian dough

Awaiting new date

10.00am – 4.00pm

£150.00 per person

You will learn how to make the most wonderfully produced southern Italian dough treats.

  • Pizza dough, transforming the dough into 2 scrumptious pizze
  • Make a calzone , this is a folded pizza that’s then baked with a glaze.
  • Pitole, deep fried pizza …. YUM!
  • Foccacia – A classic favourite with a twist (depending on the season)
  • Stromboli bread: filled, rolled and baked. Slice and serve with either soup or as part of your antipasti table.
  • Semolina bread

The Italian Vegetarian 

Awaiting new date

10.00a, – 4.00pm

£150.00 per person

Cooking vegetarian takes the humble use of fantastic ingredients and places them centre stage, while offering interesting, diverse and delicious dishes.

  • Aubergine Parmigiana
  • Gnudi nestled onto a bell pepper sauce
  • Courgette and quiona fritters
  • Lentil meatless balls in a tomato sauce
  • Speziatello bake
  • Simple seasonal pesto

Italian biscotti, cakes & desserts

Awaiting new date

10.00am – 4.00pm

£150.00 per person

You will learn, make and master your way through some regional classics and a few lesser known treasures too. Be prepared to leave the class with arms full of lots of delicious treats.

  • Baci di dama biscuits
  • Twice baked biscotti – Lemon zest and almond
  • Apricot crostata tart with lattice top (an Italian jam tart)
  • Whole orange cake (Carmela’s favourite)
  • A classic tiramisu with a seasonal twist. Amarena cherry and chocolate tiramisu

An Italian Christmas 

Learn how to make and create a few wonderful dishes with a  splendid festive twist;

  • Master the art of risotto, once chilled this will be formed and shaped into arancini (risotto balls) , perfect for any festive starter.
  • Festive centerpiece – Polpettone (Italian meatloaf) filled with whole boiled eggs, wrapped in basil leaves and sheets of finely sliced Parma ham. Baked in white vermouth. Sliced and served with a slow cooked shallot sauce and a side of cavolo nero and tomato sauce (in umido).
  • How to make delicious festive Italian biscotti, perfect with your mid-morning coffee.  Pistachio, fig and cherry.
  • Make chocolate truffles, perfect to gift or to just enjoy yourself. Dusted with pistachios, hazelnuts or cocoa.
  • The gift of a spiced panforte, perfect to finish any festive meal, or perfect as a gift.

Book directly with –  The Yorkshire Wold Cookery School – Wold Escapes

Highfield Farm, Southburn Road, Driffield YO25 9AF  –  01377 270607