Tuscan Cooking Class

Seeing that all I can think about is my upcoming trip to Italy (3 weeks today!), I thought I'd share with you a recipe from a cooking class I took on my last trip to Tuscany.  Our teacher Adrianna, shared recipes and techniques for a number of dishes including a classic Tomato Bruschetta, Mushroom Risotto and Tiramisu.

These are all pretty classic dishes that you've probably made before so today I'm going to share the recipe for the Tortino di Potate ail Taleggio that she made for us. It is basically a puff pastry tart filled with mashed potato with Taleggio cheese and it was yummy!

Tortino di Potate ail Taleggio 

Ingredients;

Pasta Sfoglia (this is an Italian puff pastry but you can use any puff pastry) 
6 -8 oz. Taleggio di Grotta Cheese 
6 large Potatoes 
Chopped Italian Parsley 
Unsalted Butter 
Pepper & Salt 
Small foil muffin tins or regular 6  muffin pan 

1)   Peel & boil potatoes. Mash in pan. Add a little Salt & Pepper. 
      Add chopped parsley. 
      Add 2 spoons unsalted butter 

2)   Cut rind off cheese & chop into large chunks. 

3)   For muffin tins cut the puff pastry a bit larger than the tins & place in them casually. 
      Put in a layer of potato 
      Place in a chunk of cheese 
      Then another layer of potato 

4)   Trim pastry & cut jagged edges with scissors. 

5)   Sprinkle with pepper. 

6)   Bake in oven at 175 Centigrade or 350 degrees F. Turn tray to ensure even baking. Takes 

      about 15 minutes.

The Tortino makes a very tasty appetizer with a crisp glass of Pinot Grigio!  While I was already familiar with the techniques for making Bruschetta and Risotto I found the tips for the Tiramisu and the Tortino quite helpful.  I'm hoping to take another cooking class when I return to Tuscany in a few weeks. I'd love to take a class on home made pasta!

Have you ever taken a cooking class in Tuscany?  I'd love to hear about it!

Ciao!

Karen