What are the Roman cooking classes with Mani in Pasta?
Mani in Pasta’s Roman cooking classes are a hands-on workshop held in the kitchen of the Antica Osteria in Rome.
Not a formal cooking school, not an evening class with handouts. An experience that starts with the hands-on process: kneading, rolling out, cutting, cooking. And then you eat what you’ve made, in a tavern, with a glass of wine.
The difference from a typical cooking class is simple: here, we use the same kitchen, the same ingredients, and the same techniques that go into creating the dishes on the menu every day.
Pecorino Romano DOP “SEPI,” fresh handmade egg pasta, Gargano Red Tomato Paste. Not simplified versions for tourists.
Roman Cooking Class: What You Actually Learn
A Roman cooking class It's only worth something if it teaches you how things really are, not how you'd like them to be.
With “Mani in Pasta,” you'll learn:
- The dough for fresh egg pasta. Flour, eggs, proportions. How to tell when it’s ready without weighing it every time
- Rest. Why does pasta need to rest, and what happens if you skip this step?
- The pastry. How to roll it out, how thin to make it, and when it's ready
- Roman numerals. Tonnarelli for cacio e pepe, fettuccine for Grandma’s ragù and coda alla vaccinara, ravioli for stuffed pasta
- Traditional condiments. “SEPI” Pecorino Romano DOP cream for cacio e pepe, and Grandma’s ragù, simmered slowly all night long
To get a better idea of what makes fresh Roman pasta so special before you come, read the our article on handmade pasta in Rome.
Learn how to make fresh Roman pasta: from preparation to the plate
The Roman cooking classes At Mani in Pasta, we don't start with theory. We start with action.
The moment you first get your hands into the dough, you realize something that no explanation could ever convey: fresh pasta has a distinct texture, a recognizable firmness, and a way of responding to your hands that you can only learn by doing it.
Roman cuisine is a hands-on tradition. It has been passed down orally, learned by watching someone else’s hands, and refined over time through practice. Mani in Pasta operates on this principle: we explain little, we do a lot, and we eat what we’ve made.
Mani in Pasta Rome: How It Works and What's Included
Mani in Pasta is the cooking workshop of theAntica Osteria of Rome.
The class takes place in the restaurant kitchen, in small groups, with individual attention.
What's included:
- Preparing the dough for fresh egg pasta
- Rolling out the dough and cutting it into shapes
- Preparation of one or more traditional Roman condiments
- Tasting of the food that was prepared
- Wine included
The experience lasts about two and a half hours. You don’t just watch—you get involved.
All the details, available dates, and booking information can be found on the “Hands-On” page.
If, on the other hand, you're looking for a cooking class in English, read our article on Rome cooking class.
Roman Cooking Workshop: Why Context Matters
Taking a Roman cooking class at the Antica Osteria di Roma is not the same as taking one in just any fully equipped kitchen, even if the recipe is the same.
Context makes all the difference. When you make cacio e pepe in the same kitchen where it’s prepared for customers every day, using the same “SEPI” Pecorino Romano DOP and the same homemade egg tonnarello, you’re learning the original version.
Not a modified version, not a simplified version for those unfamiliar with Italian cuisine.
Rome is the birthplace of carbonara, cacio e pepe, gricia, and amatriciana. Learning how to make them here, from the people who cook them every day, offers a sense of authenticity you won’t find anywhere else.
Where we are: Rome's historic center, Parione district
L’Antica Osteria di Roma is located in Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 258, in Piazza della Chiesa Nuova, in the Parione district.
We are located in Rome’s historic center, two minutes from Campo de’ Fiori, five minutes from Piazza Navona, and ten minutes from the Pantheon. We are easily accessible from anywhere in the city center.
Open daily from 11:00 to 22:00.
