Mamma Agata’s Cooking School in Ravella, Italy – A Culinary Wish Come True
A dream came true when I attended Mamma Agata’s cooking school in Ravello, Italy, on the Amalfi Coast. And let me tell you . . . some experiences stay with you forever. For me, the day at Mamma Agata’s is one of them. Throughout the day, my husband and I learned so many culinary secrets from this famous chef and her daughter, Chiara. I learned so many things that I never knew before in my Italian family’s kitchens. I’d return and attend another class in a heartbeat!
I’m going to take you on a little photo tour of this Italian cooking oasis overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and some of what we experienced!
First, I must describe the surrounding scenery of this magnificent location:
Even before arriving at the private home of Mamma Agata and her “Hidden Treasure Cooking School”, the drive along the coast was unforgettable! Italy’s Amalfi Coast is famous and beloved by everyone. It is truly one of the most beautiful places in the world, set in an ancient region and country already blessed with endless natural beauty. Tears can fall from how deeply God’s beauty touches you. It takes you away in awe.
Our senses enjoyed views of endless turquoise and azure blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Villages with homes clinging to vertical cliffs amazed us. Soft sounds of the surf’s waves crashing below moved us. And an occasional voice singing Italian tunes lifted our spirits. Added to these were delightful aromas of Italian food filling the air at every turn that tempted us, and idyllic temperatures and glorious sunlight delighted us as we dined al fresco into the evenings . . . taking all of this in, it was sheer bliss!
As in other regions of Italy, it’s the native foods and recipes that forge a deep connection between the land and its people. Only a high-quality cooking class can capture this experience that goes beyond simply eating in a local trattoria. Italian food aficionados are well aware that few culinary schools in Italy rival Mamma Agata’s school. Through her classes, one cannot help but feel the extraordinary relationship the people have with the natural bounty they are blessed with.
About Mamma Agata and her Famous Cooking School
Mamma Agata’s fame began in the 50s and 60s when she was a cook in high demand by wealthy families, politicians, and celebrities (both residents and visitors) such as Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Jackie Kennedy, Fredierico Fellini, Sophia Loren, Frank Sinatra, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, and Fred Astaire. Today, celebrities are still drawn to Mamma’s school (Michael Jordan, Pierce Brosnan, Woody Harrelson, and others).
As you enter her home, you notice that, like so many homes in Italy, there are endless pots of flowers, fruits, and vegetables . . . all due to the lack of space on mountain sides where people live. Even in the flatter lands in Italy, there is limited space, so pots of flowers and vegetables are everywhere!
Bright, colorful Mandevilla still bloomed in October in the temperate coastal climate!
The full day was spent in Mamma’s kitchen and on her open-air terrace — high in the mountains of Ravello, almost feeling as if it was tucked into the clouds when you looked out over the deep blue Tyrrhenian Sea. It felt spiritual to experience this beautiful creation.
Picture-perfect views of the sea and cliffs from the balcony, where we enjoyed the dishes that we learned about and prepared. The rain clouds were beginning to form over the sea and the Gulf of Salerno.
The family’s lemon groves and vegetable and herb gardens grew in abundance below.
On the next floor down was a variety of pumpkins, gourds, and onions with rosemary and garlic hanging from above
Our Cooking Class Experience at Mamma Agata’s
We were greeted and served a lovely latte’ and a big slice of Mama’s famous, moist lemon cake
Mamma Agata’s daughter, Chiara, is now in charge of everything. She teaches all of the classes and harmoniously coordinates and runs every aspect of the entire business while taking care of her aging parents (along with her younger family), growing the gardens, and packaging the tomatoes, lemons, pasta, olive oil, shipping to clients (such as me), plus all of the accounting and marketing, and more! Mamma Agata’s legacy continues and lives on through this lively and talented woman.
Where does she get the energy? WOW!!
Chiara began the class by sharing many of their secrets to preparing the best recipes! Then she passionately showed us the procedure for their authentic cherry tomato sauce.
With endless glasses of wine in hand, we first tasted Chiara’s famous tomato sauce and understood why it sets her apart from other sauces . . . plus when she shared more of her ‘secrets’! This sauce and how she prepares it was truly a fantastic culinary experience! I know that from this point on, her instruction and advice will be the foundation of my own Italian cooking!
A pan of her famous tomato sauce quietly bubbled on the stove awaiting her delicious meatballs.
The class took place all day; so between each ‘course’ we enjoyed her freshly picked cherry tomatoes, fresh bread, and local cheese, and some eggplant and Parmigiano as an appetizer.
After she prepared her Eggplant Parmigiano, she enlisted us to make her fabulous meatballs… and this is my husband, Bill, who very seriously rolled out some meatballs while Chiara stood by.
The finished masterpieces from our hands and the other 2 students in the class!!!
We also learned how to correctly prepare Eggplant Parmigiano, which I have never cared for . . . and now I love. She told us what people do wrong that ruins this dish. Then she showed us how to make it the best way possible. But that’s for another blog post! It was delicious!!!!
We enjoyed the results, that’s for sure, especially the crispy edges! Nothing mushy about this eggplant parm!
And the final dish was Mamma’s Rigatoni alla Bolognese! Mmmm, it was crazy amazing!
My portion may appear rather small, but I was so satisfied and full that I couldn’t eat another bite! Plus, I had to leave room for more lemon cake, wine, and limoncello!
Just look at the color and the texture! Mama Mia! It was just outstanding! And tasted just like my family recipe!
Here is Mamma Agata’s recipe for meatballs that I tweaked:
Marinara Sauce (Salsa di Pomodoro – Tomato Sauce)
Ingredients
- 2 28 oz. cans whole Italian plum tomatoes
- 10 fresh cherry tomatoes, preferably vine-ripened
- 5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 fresh basil leavels
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, garlic, and basil to a large saucepan and then heat the saucepan up to HIGH with these 3 ingredients in it. NOTE: Add these together at the same time and Do NOT heat the oil first.
- Gently stir to prevent the garlic from browning or burning, no more than 1 – 2 minutes maximum. Do not get the oil so hot that it smokes. If either of these happens, than throw everything out and start over.
- If the canned tomatoes are not pureed, than puree them in a food processor, one can at a time.
- When the temperature of the oil begins to rise, add the pureed tomatoes and the whole fresh, vine-ripened cherry tomatoes to the saucepan. You should hear a nice 'sizzling' sound as you pour in the tomatoes. You should also enjoy a wonderful aroma from the fragrant ingredients releasing their oils and combining to make this delicious homemade tomato sauce (pp. 55-56, Mamma Agata's Cookbook).
- Cook the sauce, first on a high flame until it begins to boil. Then reduce the heat/flame to a simmer for a total of 30 minutes (including the time it takes to come to a boil).
Mamma Agata’s cookbook is hard to find outside of Italy. On Amazon, it is $100 or more, and here is the link for it: Mamma Agata’s Cookbook
Here is the direct link to purchase Mamma Agata’s cookbook and/or enroll in her (in-person classes) from Italy (plus shipping, taxes, and tariffs not included here): https://www.mammaagata.com/
