








When you take a cooking class with Wally Maria, you will learn how to prepare traditional Italian dishes, where to shop for the ingredients, how to combine courses for a delicious, well balanced, healthy Italian meal.
Wally Maria has an extensive vegetables-fruit-herb garden and grows many of the ingredients she uses in her cooking.
She grew up in the northern Italian region of Veneto and then Friuli where she learned in her grandmother's restaurant, and from her mother and aunts, how to prepare classic Italian dishes. Over the years, Wally Maria has revised her family's traditional cooking and made it her own, displaying her passion for beautiful presentations and delicious taste
Each one of her classes is a complete meal. Students are invited to help in the preparation and cooking process if they desire. They are given a copy of all the recipes prepared in the class and are welcome to bring wine for all to enjoy with the meal, which will be served at the end.
Classes vary in length; in average last 3 hours.
You can read an article about Wally Maria in the March 29, 2007 issue of the
Mezzaluna
Half Moon
Are you familiar with this kind of knife?
Is excellent if you do not have a chef's skill when chopping.
Women in Italy have been using it for generations.
And, is much safer!
Best Italian Dishes Series
Cornetti alla zucca
Butternut sweet breads
Class Fees
Individual Class $ 50
Payment in advance required
If you need to cancel, please give at least one week notice
Class Time
10 am - 1 pm
To enroll or for more information
Please call 828.658.8928 or email
Ask Wally Maria about customized, private or group classes at her home or yours .
Plan a Birthday - Holiday - Family Celebration - cooking class
Gift certificates available
Other classes:
July , 2010
Saturday, December 12 An Italian alternative for Christmas
10am-1pm
Gnocchi ripieni alla marchigiana
Stuffed gnocchi
traditional dish from Marche, potato dumplings stuffed with meats
and served with a tomato and meat sauce
Salmone farcito agli spinaci
Salmon roll, stuffed with spinach
a beautiful presentation, salmon, spinach, pancetta and a pomegranate sauce
very festive looking
Gratin di patate al basilico
Basil and onion mashed potatoes
a recipe from Liguria
Budino di Panettone
Panettone pudding
Panettone is a must for Christmas
Limoncello
Limoncello liqueur made with homegrown lemons
Saturday, January 16, 2010
10am-1pm
Ribollita
Classic soup from Tuscany
The perfect recover-from-the-Holidays-dish
Polpette al cartoccio
Veal and turkey meatballs
served in individual packages, with olives and balsamic vinegar
a good way to use leftover turkey
Crostata alle erbette
Swiss chard, spinach and ricotta pie
excellent warm or cold, perfect for a buffet, vegetarian dish or a snack
Meyer lemon gelato
we'll use lemon juice from my Meyer lemon tree ( bush, really)
Saturday, February 20
10am-1pm
Passatelli alla romana
Traditional soup from Rome
Scaloppine di maiale ai funghi e olio di tartufo
Pork cutlets served with mushrooms and truffle oil
Scarola imbottita
Stuffed escarole
very flavorfull and yet low fat and healthy
Fritole alla veneziana
Doughnuts from Venice
classic sweet for Carneval, my mother's recipe
Saturday, March 20 Easter menu
10am-1pm
Sformato di funghi porcini secchi e crema di patate
Dry porcini mushrooms mould served with potato cream
Individual little moulds, beautiful presentation
Torta pasqualina
Savory Easter pie
Traditional Easter dish from Liguria
Finocchi al forno ripieni
Baked fennels, stuffed with veal, pecorino, fennel seeds
Maritozzi
Raisin buns
beloved Roman sweet
Saturday, April 17
10am-1pm
Gnocchetti verdi alle erbe selvatiche con salsa allo zafferano
Little dumplings with wild herbs and saffron-tomatoes sauce
Arrosto di maiale di Louise
Pork tenderloin with orange and olives
a recipe from my friend Luisa
Asparagi mimosa
Mimosa asparagus
we will pick them fresh from the garden, a classic Italian recipe
Torta di mandorle e pistacchi
Almond and pistachio tart
Saturday, May 8
10am-1pm
Mother's day menu
Gnocchi di spinaci con salsa alla gorgonzola
Spinach and potatoes dumplings with Gorgonzola sauce
Capesante ripiene al gratin
Baked scallops served in the shell
Fagioli e bietole alla veneziana
Beans and swiss chard
a traditional venetian dish
Bigne' con crema al caffe'
Bigne' with coffee cream
Saturday, June 19 Father's day menu
10am-1pm
Maccheroni alla Garfagnina con salsa bolognese
Homemade pasta with meat sauce
Hearthy and rich dish from Toscana
Tranci di coda di rospo
Monkfish with olives and tomatoes
Piselli e cipolle con ciuffi di patate
Peas, onions and potatoes
Biscotti al limone
Almond and lemon cookies
from Tuscany
Saturday, July 17
10am-1pm Vegetarian
Risotto al limone
Lemon risotto
Fiori di zucca ripieni e gratinati
Squash blossoms, filled with goat cheese and baked
Panzanella
Bread and tomatoes salad
We'll pick the tomatoes from the garden for the best flavor possible
Torta al formaggio con lamponi
Yogurt, mascarpone cake
chocolate and Grand Marnier base, creamy filling and raspberries topping, unbeatable
Saturday, August 21
10am-1pm
Fusilli alla carbonara con pancetta, limone e gorgonzola dolce
Fusilli pasta with pancetta, lemon and sweet Gorgonzola
Tagliata ai funghi
Steak with grilled peppers, dry porcini and aromi
Indivia belga in forno con prosciutto
Baked belgian endive with prosciutto
Gelato al cappuccino
Cappuccino gelato
Saturday, September 18
10am-1pm
Pappardelle alla lepre
Homemade pappardelle pasta with hare ragu'
Classic dish from Tuscany
Crostata al radicchio e Gorgonzola
Quiche with radicchio and Gorgonzola cheese
Spinaci saltati
Saute' spinach with cranberries
perfect for heavy dishes
Semifreddo alle amarene
Frozen dessert of cream, yogurt and cherries
perfect for a prepare-ahead-buffet or to keep in the freezer for unexpected guests
Saturday, October 16
10am-1pm
Tortelli alla zucca e amaretti
Homemade ravioli with butternut and Amaretti cookies
we'll use butternuts from my garden
Tonnato di pollo
Chicken breast with tuna sauce
from the traditional vitello tonnato, the perfect prepare-ahead-dish
Erbette agli amaretti
Wild herbs and spinach with Amaretti
Crostata con crema al limone Meyer
Meyer lemon pie
we'll pick the lemons from my Meyer tree
Saturday, November 20
10am-1pm
Cardi fritti con salsa di pomodoro
Fried cardoons woth tomatoes sauce
beloved dish everywere in Italy, we'll use cardoons from my garden
Ossobuco e risotto allo zafferano
Traditional dish from Lombardy, everyone loves it
Torta Gianduia
Chocolate and hazelnut cake
typical dessert of Alba, Piedmont
Saturday, December 18 An Italian alternative for the Holidays
10am-1pm
Cannelloni ripieni
Baked cannelloni
My aunt's recipe
Pescatrice in padella con cardi e pancetta
Monkfish with cardoons and pancetta
cardoons taste like artichokes
Indivia belga ripiena di ricotta e pancetta
Belgian endive with ricotta and pancetta
Strudel di mele
Apple strudel
from Trentino, my backyard, were there's a strong Austrian influence