Langhe Cooking Class near Alba: Make Gnocchi & Hazelnut Cake

Roll fresh gnocchi and bake hazelnut cake in a Langhe farmhouse kitchen

A hands-on cooking class in the Langhe near Alba where you prepare classic Piedmontese dishes (gnocchi with Castelmagno cheese and hazelnut cake) in a countryside farmhouse surrounded by vineyards. Your host shares family recipes and local stories as you work, then you sit down to eat what you've made with wine and aperitif in family-style hospitality.

The experience

The class starts with a warm aperitif, then moves into the kitchen where you learn to roast peppers the traditional way and shape fresh gnocchi by hand, working with Castelmagno cheese that comes from the high pastures above the Langhe. Your host shares the seasonal tips and family stories that have guided their cooking for years: the kind of knowledge that doesn't appear in cookbooks. You'll also bake a moist hazelnut cake paired with homemade zabaione, using ingredients tied to what grows in these hills.

The meal itself is the payoff: you gather at the table to eat everything you've prepared, with a glass of typical Langhe wine and the kind of unhurried hospitality that happens when you're cooking in someone's home rather than in a commercial kitchen. The whole experience runs about two hours, which gives you time to cook without rushing and still have the afternoon free in Alba or the surrounding wine country.

What’s included

• Hands-on cooking instruction with a local host.
• recipes and stories from Langhe culinary tradition.
• full meal with seasonal starter, fresh gnocchi with Castelmagno, and hazelnut cake with zabaione.
• aperitif and wine tasting.
• local taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to FridayDepartures at 12:00 and 19:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (9 and older) · Child (4 to 8 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Public transport nearby

Operated by Cesarine: Cooking Class

Is this one for you?Two hours leaves the rest of your day open for Alba's medieval center or the wine roads of the Langhe, so you can fit the class into a morning or early afternoon without losing the rest of your itinerary.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 8 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What Piedmontese dishes do I actually make during the class?

You prepare fresh gnocchi with Castelmagno cheese, roasted peppers the traditional way, and a hazelnut cake served with zabaione. These are the dishes you'll cook with your hands and then eat together at the end.

Where exactly does the cooking class take place?

The class is held in a countryside farmhouse in Borgomale, in the Langhe hills near Alba, surrounded by vineyards. It's a local's home, not a commercial cooking school.

Do I need cooking experience to join this class?

No. The class is designed for food lovers and curious travelers of any skill level. Your host teaches the techniques as you go, and the focus is on learning the regional traditions rather than advanced culinary skills.

What happens after we finish cooking?

You sit down together to eat the dishes you've made, with an aperitif and a glass of typical Langhe wine. The meal is family-style, eaten in the host's home with the relaxed pace that comes with sharing food you've prepared yourself.

Can the class accommodate allergies or dietary restrictions?

Yes, let your host know about any allergies or intolerances when you book, and they'll do their best to adapt. For severe allergies, cross-contamination cannot be guaranteed in a home kitchen, so mention that when you reserve.