Lecce: Fresh Pasta Cooking Class & Salento Wine Tasting Dinner

Summary

Handmade pasta in Lecce garden villa with wine and laughter

You’ll walk into a Lecce villa garden and learn to make orecchiette and macaroni wire by hand, taste Salento wines over an open-air dinner, and swap stories with locals as you eat what you’ve created together. Expect laughter, real flavors, and maybe even a new friend or two.

What’s the experience like?

You just sort of tumble out of the car into this sun-warmed garden on the edge of Lecce, and right away someone hands you a glass — I think it was a spritz, but honestly I was distracted by the smell of basil and grilled eggplant drifting from somewhere behind the lemon trees. Our host, Francesca, had flour dust on her cheek and laughed when she realized I’d never shaped orecchiette before. She made it look easy, but my first few pieces looked more like little hats than ears. Nobody minded. That’s kind of the point.

We got our hands into the dough (it’s stickier than you’d expect) while Francesca told stories about her grandmother making pasta on Sundays. There was this old wooden tool — “Caturu,” she called it — that we used to roll out macaroni wire. She gave us each one to keep, which felt oddly meaningful after fumbling with it for half an hour. Between shaping pasta, we wandered back outside for an aperitivo: peppers sautéed with tomatoes, local pecorino, bread that crunched just right. Someone poured Leverano wine — the white was sharp and cold, the red almost velvety.

By the time we sat down to eat what we’d made (I still can’t believe how good those orecchiette tasted with fresh tomato sauce), everyone at the table felt like they’d known each other longer than two hours. The light faded and conversation slipped between English and Italian; Francesca’s dad tried to teach us how to say “friselline” properly but mostly just shook his head at our attempts. Dessert was panna cotta — not too sweet — with limoncello poured until someone said basta! I keep thinking about that night every time I see flour on my kitchen counter now.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Fresh pasta workshop and tasting

• Arrive at villa near Lecce
• Enjoy typical Lecce welcome drink
• Make orecchiette pasta dough
• Have aperitif with local products and wines
• Watch sauce preparation for pasta
• Make macaroni wire pasta with Caturu tool
• Taste handmade pasta dishes
• Enjoy dessert with Limoncello

Top questions

What time does the fresh pasta workshop in Lecce start?

The class begins at 18:15 at a villa on the outskirts of Lecce.

How long does the pasta cooking class last?

The experience lasts about 3.5 hours.

Is transportation included for this Salento food tour?

Yes, private transportation is included in your booking.

What types of pasta will we make during the class?

You’ll make orecchiette and macaroni wire (maccheroncini) by hand.

Are wine tastings part of this dinner experience?

Yes, you’ll taste several Salento wines from Leverano during dinner.

Is there anything special included as a gift?

You’ll receive a traditional “Caturu” tool used for making macaroni wire.

Can children join this pasta workshop in Lecce?

Yes, children are welcome; soft drinks are served instead of wine for guests under 18.

Are vegetarian options available during the meal?

The menu includes plenty of vegetable-based dishes typical of Salento cuisine.

What’s included

Your evening includes private pickup to a villa near Lecce, all ingredients for hands-on pasta making (orecchiette and macaroni wire), an aperitif with local specialties, two types of homemade pasta served with regional sauces for dinner, paired Salento wines from Leverano vineyards (or soft drinks), dessert with limoncello to finish, plus your own “Caturu” tool as a keepsake before heading back home.