Orecchiette Pasta-Making Classes in Puglia
Food & Wine
7 real tours in Alberobello-Locorotondo, each booked directly through Viator.
Orecchiette — "little ears" — is Puglia's signature pasta shape, and unlike most fresh pasta it's traditionally made with nothing but semola di grano duro (durum wheat semolina) and water, no eggs. The shape comes entirely from technique: a small piece of dough is dragged across a wooden board with a knife or thumb, curling it into its characteristic cupped shape, and getting that motion right by hand takes real practice — which is exactly what these classes teach.
The Valle d'Itria, where Alberobello and Locorotondo sit, has its own strong pasta-making tradition alongside its more famous trulli architecture, and several classes here are run by local home cooks rather than restaurant chefs — meaning you're learning a technique that's genuinely been passed down in a kitchen, not a demonstration recipe. Most classes finish with the group eating what they made, usually with the classic Puglia pairing of orecchiette and cime di rapa (turnip tops).
Hands in dough between orecchiette and focaccia in nature
The activity consists of an interactive cooking class where we will prepare a typical Apulian lunch together. We will provide you with an apron each and all the utensils to get your hands in the dough and learn every step and secret of our traditional recipes. Together with my husband Stefano we open the doors of our country house to teach you the Apulian cooking techniques that you can easily replicate at home. We will learn together to select the ingredients of our land according to the season, and while preparing the dishes we will tell you their history and that of typical products and local traditions. Afterwards we will enjoy lunch or dinner with a starter and concluding with a dessert, the classic tiramisu that we will prepare together. It will be an experience that you will carry with you forever, through which we want to transmit our passion for slow living, good food, nature and the products that every day offers us. We are waiting for you
€85.00
Monopoli Pasta Making Cooking Class with Drink
Beyond its sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, art cities, historic villages, vineyards, and olive groves, Puglia is a land rich in authentic flavors and traditional products with a bold, genuine taste. During the experience, we will prepare together the famous Puglian orecchiette, a complete first course, accompanied by an aperitif featuring taralli, focaccia, wine, and seasonal vegetables. At the end, we will all sit down at the table, as tradition dictates, to enjoy the delicious dishes we have prepared.
€65.00
Alberobello E bike Tour and Pasta Making Class
You can join with your own e-bike at no extra cost, or reserve an e-bike ready on site for €45, payable locally. The cooking class with orecchiette tasting and wine is optional and paid on site (€22); please check the “Included/Excluded” section for details. Experience Alberobello through nature, trulli and local food traditions. You’ll ride with a local escort who manages the route, stops and full assistance, keeping a relaxed pace suitable for the group. We cycle through the Itria Valley countryside, among dry-stone walls, olive groves and trulli views, until we reach a family-run artisan mill. Here, you’ll discover the journey from grain to flour and see a living local tradition up close. On request, the experience continues with a hands-on cooking class to learn how to make orecchiette, followed by a tasting of the freshly prepared pasta with a glass of wine. Small-group tour, not private.
€47.00
Monopoli Hands On Apulian Cooking Class and Food Experience
This experience is special because it combines manual skills, tradition and conviviality in an authentic Apulian context. Travellers are not just spectators, but actively participate in the preparation of orecchiette and focaccia, learning techniques handed down for generations. The atmosphere is informal and welcoming, designed to make everyone feel at home, sharing the pleasure of cooking together. Each moment becomes an opportunity for cultural exchange, between local stories, ancient gestures and genuine flavors of the Apulian tradition.
€85.00
ebike tour: Authentic Itria Valley and local cuisine
A spectacular ebike tour through the views and beautiful landscapes of the Valle d'Itria countryside located between the towns of Martina Franca, Cisternino and Locorotondo. We will reach the cycle path of the Apulian Aqueduct along authentic tratturi and at the end of the tour a typical stop in a beautiful district always in the heart of the Itria Valley with tasting of local dishes (orecchiette, friselle, mozzarella accompanied by a good glass of wine). Authentic Puglia starts here!
€99.00
Mozzarella , Pasta and focaccia Hands on cooking class in Puglia
Live a culinary journey in the heart of Puglia, discover the treasures of Apulian cuisine a local chef will walk you through each step of making handmade pasta, focaccia and mozzarella showing you that cooking is not only a recipe but is traditions and culture. At the end of the cooking , the best part, sharing time together and eating all the delicious food prepared! You'll learn the delightful art of making mozzarella. Our chef will show you how to make this classic Italian cheese from scratch, using only the freshest milk and traditional techniques. Second step Master the art of make orecchiette the chef will guide you through making the perfect pasta doug and shape some other distinctive Apulian pasta. Last step, make Barese focaccia, learn about different flours, how to knead dough and bake. At the end of the cooking seat around the table in a convivial atmosphere and enjoy the fruits of your labor with a glass of Verdeca wine typical grape variety of the Itria valley.
€119.00
Cooking Class & Apulian Lunch with Linda Di Somma
The cooking classes are organized by Linda Di Somma, a private chef of Apulian origin with international experience. The lessons, held in multiple languages, are designed to unite people from all over the world, in the name of sharing and love for good food. Only fresh and high quality ingredients, carefully selected, to prepare together authentic dishes of the local tradition.What makes this experience truly special is the genuine contact with Apulian gastronomic culture, lived in an intimate and cared for atmosphere. It’s not just a cooking class, but a sensory and human journey: you make dough with your hands, prepare Orecchiette and Cavatelli following the gestures of your grandmothers and at the end, you sit down at the table with the other guests — just like in a real Southern Italian family. All accompanied by local wine, traditional desserts and a musical selection from the 60s–70s that makes the experience even more convivial, authentic and unforgettable.
€130.00
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an orecchiette pasta-making class take?
Most classes run 2 to 4 hours, including the hands-on shaping lesson and a shared meal of what you make. A few combine the class with a bike tour or countryside visit, which run longer.
Do I need any cooking experience?
No — these are beginner-friendly, and shaping orecchiette is a technique anyone can pick up with a bit of practice during the class. Most classes work in small groups so the instructor can correct your technique directly.
Is orecchiette made with eggs?
Traditionally, no. Unlike egg-based fresh pasta from northern Italy, orecchiette is made from just durum wheat semolina and water — part of why the texture and technique are genuinely different to learn.