I was so excited when I first spotted this airbnb experience as most of the other cooking classes I found in Puglia were on the pricey side and almost always included pasta making, which I already did in Bologna years back. Marcella’s class was 2.5 hours for about $40 and because it’s in her house, it’s limited to 4 guests at a time. Luckily, I was the only one to sign up for a mid-week class so I got a private lesson!

I was greeted warmly at the door and given a quick tour of the space then we got to mixing the dough. It takes a bit of time to shape all the taralli so we chatted while we worked, making half savory (plain) and half sweet (dipped in granulated sugar) batches. I learned to use my palms in a gentle rolling motion to shape the ropes rather than my fingers which made the process a lot easier.

She baked a batch while we finished the rest and then started on the primitivo jelly. Not a traditional recipe, but a family one, I was able to adjust the amount of sugar and spices to my liking.

Afterwards we enjoyed some wine on her patio with a cheese and meat plate and our snacks. Well worth the time and an excellent value.