Handmade Pasta-Making Classes in Emilia Romagna: A Culinary Tradition
WHAT: Handmade Pasta Classes
WHERE: Bologna Centre, Bologna Hills, Modena Hills (depending on the number of people)
WHEN: Available Monday to Sunday
TIME: 10.00am to 3.00pm (flexible)
TRANSPORT: Culinary Institute Taxi (12 minutes), Walking (45 minutes). The hills are a 45-minute drive from downtown Bologna and the trip will require a taxi or a driver.
PRICE: Depends on Number of People - Contact Us
WHAT’S INCLUDED: All pre-tour coordination, ingredients, tuition, recipe sheets, lunch.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED: Health / Accident insurance, wine depending on the number of people.
Emilia Romagna is the heart of Italian culinary tradition, and at its core lies the art of handmade pasta. Our handmade pasta-making classes invite you to dive into this rich heritage, learning to create iconic shapes like Tagliatelle, Tortelloni, and Garganelli using the traditional rolling pin and wooden board—the same tools that have been cherished by generations.
Why Handmade Pasta?
Handmade pasta is more than a recipe; it's a craft. The use of a wooden board and rolling pin creates pasta with the perfect texture, allowing sauces to cling beautifully. This method, rooted in tradition, showcases the simplicity and elegance of Emilia Romagna's signature egg-and-flour pasta. Recipes like Tagliatelle al Ragù, Tortelloni with Butter & Sage, and Tortellini in Brodo have been perfected over centuries, with some even certified by the "Accademia della Cucina Italiana" and registered with the Bologna Chamber ofCommerce.
Class Formats
- One-to-One classes take place in the Bologna Hills with a professional ‘sfoglina’ or pasta maker.
- For couples or smaller groups (1-5 participants), we collaborate with expert ‘sfogline’ — professional handmade pasta artisans. Classes are held either in Bologna’s historic city center or the countryside, where they can be paired with an immersive Parmigiano Reggiano Experience.
- For larger groups (6-20 participants), classes take place at a prestigious culinary institute, just 10 minutes by taxi from Bologna’s city center. This venue provides ample space and a professional atmosphere for an unforgettable hands-on experience.
Why Choose Our Classes?
- Authenticity: Learn from seasoned professionals and passionate artisans who live and breathe pasta tradition.
- Tailored Experiences: Whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple, or a group, we provide the right class to suit your needs.
- Cultural Insight: Beyond technique, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the history, poetry, and emotion behind handmade pasta.
In Emilia Romagna, pasta isn't just food—it's love, tradition, and a connection to something greater. Whether you're kneading dough for the first time or honing your skills, this is a hands-on, immersive experience that will leave you with lifelong memories (and recipes).
We look forward to sharing the magic of handmade pasta with you!
Don’t have time for an in-person class? Check out our Online Pasta-Making and Cooking Classes
"Helena was our expert guide on a morning epicurean tour of Bologna, and we hit great spots for everything from salumi to gelato. We featured many cooking teachers, schools, and guides during my time as editor at Bon Appetit Magazine, and Helena at Yummy Italy is definitely among the best."
Barbara Fairchild, Former Editor-in-Chief Bon Appétit magazine
"If you like food, if you want a experience with places you will never find on your own, if you want someone who knows the culture and is truly educated about food and wine, then this is the only company that will truly fulfil your needs. Cheese pits, olive oil, and wine tasting in private residence. Nothing was rushed and we were able to experience each with VIP treatment.
Thank you for the amazing experience and forever memories Helena. You are a gem."
Chris, USA
"Everything we did felt very bespoke and artisanal as we were dealing with small producers who had good personal relationships with Helena. As a group we would all thoroughly recommend Helena who has a clear passion for all local produce of the area, maintaining traditions and helping visitors understand the true Emilia Romagna way of life."
Edmund, United Kingdom
"Helena is incredibly knowledgeable, cultivates a respectful relationship with her producers, is a true champion of Emilia-Romagna, and is generally just such a delight to spend time with. I wish there was a Helena for every vacation we took. I fully intend to join her in the future for more experiences."
Adam, USA
"Helena is a fantastic food and wine guide who is fluent in English and Italian and she has very detailed knowledge of Emilia Romagna. Everything was organized perfectly. Since she has lived in the area for quite some time, she knows everyone and has access to very local and non-tourist artisans. She is a delight to spend time with and learn from and we cannot recommend her highly enough."
Jacqueline Apple, Cooking With Jacqueline Cooking School, San Francisco
"Helena’s passion, knowledge of the food and the region as well as cooperation with local producers and food artisans made us fall in love with Italy. It seems there is nothing impossible for Helena. If you want to really taste Emila Romagna (best food region in the World) and get the best feel of the real, non tourist Italy, Yummy Italy is probably the best way to do it!"
Lucyna, Poland
"I have been working exclusively with Yummy Italy for several years now for some of my group tours in Emilia Romagna. Not only is Helena extremely professional, but her knowledge of food and wine is incredible. She knows her stuff and my groups have always been extremely impressed. They have often indicated her activities as some of their favourites from an entire week traveling in Italy. I would have zero hesitation in working with Helena again and highly recommend her for any food and wine activity in and around Bologna. "
Francesca Montillo, Owner and Founder, Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures
"As always, we leave Bologna and Helena with a tinge of regret that we had not allotted more time with Helena, on this, our second trip to Italy and time with Yummy Italy. Helena’s enthusiasm, knowledge of the region and the food and wine is second to none."
Diane, Singapore
"Not only are Yummy Italy’s experiences incredible and Helena’s food and wine knowledge are nothing short of magnificent, but with every booking she also provides an in-depth guide to how to eat and drink in Bologna as well as indicating purveyors and products to buy while we stayed in our AirBnB. We followed her recommendations to the letter. In these ways, the tours and classes more than paid for themselves. "
Jason L, New Zealand
"Helena's immense local knowledge of the local food and wine came into play during our visit to the markets, specialist cafes, delis and food and wine producers during an incentive trip for our Irish food artisans. She was truly inspirational. Yummy Italy is the only go-to company for food professionals and passionate food and wine tourist alike."
Bord Bia, The Irish Food Board
"It is obvious that Helena has spent years building relationships with artisan food producers and wine makers with whom there is a huge amount of mutual respect. We started out wanting to organise our visits ourselves but soon realised that it is insider knowledge that’s needed. Every cent we spent on tours and pasta classes were worth it. There is no way we could have organised or learnt so much without Helena’s invaluable professional guidance. We will be back for more!"
Brendan M, Republic of Ireland
"After reading The Food Traveler’s Guide to Emilia Romagna by Amber Hoffmann we realised that a trip to the area wouldn’t be complete without Yummy Italy’s help. We have to thank both Amber for recommending Helena at Yummy Italy and Helena for making our weekend unforgettable. Her tours, in-depth knowledge of the food and wine and local purveyors are what every foodie traveller dreams of. "
Margaret P, Canada
"The remarkable, clever Helena from Yummy Italy was at my house yesterday sharing her expertise at handrolled pasta making. I learned so much about Emilia Romagna, about what texture adds to pasta (the wooden board and metre long rolling pin are key) and what hard work and long-honed mastery adds to taste. Fascinating."
Sheila Dillon, Award-Winning Food Journalist, Writer and Broadcaster for BBC4 The Food Programme