After a long Tuscan summer, where lunches stretch into afternoons and dinners are spent outdoors under the olive trees, stepping back into the kitchen with all of you felt like a homecoming. This month we rolled up our sleeves and made gnocchi together: fluffy pillows of potato dough, dressed with sugo finto, a punchy (incidentally vegan) tomato sauce.
It was our first cook-along after the summer break, and the energy was palpable. Some of you I already knew from previous classes, or even from last week’s masterclass! Others were brand new, but quickly joined the group with questions, laughter, and the easy flow of conversation that comes when hands are busy in the kitchen.
What made me especially happy was the variety of ways people joined in: some cooked in real time — either gnocchi, or the sauce, or both (and even my nonna’s ragù!); others preferred to sit back and watch, sipping a glass of wine and taking notes for when they’d try it later. A few of you even mentioned that this cook-along reminded you of classes you had attended with me here in Tuscany, or gave you a taste of what to expect if you’re planning to join in the coming weeks.
All of this is what makes the monthly gatherings so special: the energy, the sense of community, the joy of cooking the same recipe in kitchens scattered all over the world, and, let’s be honest, having the meal ready the next day!
What’s next: all about beans, Italian-style!
Sunday, October 26th
🕗 8:00 pm CET | 7:00 pm GMT | 3:00 pm EDT | 12:00 pm PDT
For our October cook-along, we’ve chosen a humble but beloved ingredient: beans. They are at the heart of so many Tuscan recipes, sustaining farmers and families for centuries. This is cucina povera at its best: simple, nourishing, and endlessly adaptable.
We’ll cook a few classics together:
Pasta e fagioli, the Italian answer to soup that eats like a meal.
Passato di fagioli, a creamy bean purée enriched with good olive oil and crisp sage leaves
Fagioli all’uccelletto, beans stewed in tomato sauce with sage — a Florentine favourite.
Just as we did with gnocchi, we’ll break down the techniques and variations, and I’ll share tips to make beans shine in your kitchen, whether you’re using dried beans soaked overnight or a quick can from the pantry.
Now your turn!
Did you join the gnocchi cook-along live, or did you watch the recording later? I’d love to hear what the experience was like for you.
Did your gnocchi turn out light and fluffy?
Have you tried a different sauce since then?
And most importantly: which bean dish are you most excited to learn in October?
