Italian Date Night in Umbria: Porchetta & Sesame Macaroons

Porchetta is like cooking magic. If you are a big fan of juicy, oven roasted pork and big, bold herbs and spices then porchetta is the dish of your Italian dreams. Porchetta is a wonderful boneless pork roast wrapped in fat and skin and generously seasoned with garlic, sage, rosemary, fennel and other aromatic herbs and spices. It’s usually prepared by roasting a whole pig, although here we will just be using a shoulder roast, if you’ve ever tasted it, your mouth probably started watering as soon as you saw this class!

The amazing roast, originally from the region of Umbria, has been hugely popular in central Italy for more than 2,000 years. Back in the day the Emperor Nero was said to enjoy it and Roman Army cooks fed it to soldiers in camp. Rather than preparing it at home, Italians today most often enjoy porchetta sold by street vendors and at festivals, where it’s often served on bread.

This will be an unforgettable traditional Umbrian dish that will spoil you for any pork dishes you will have for a long time after.

We will finish with an amazingly easy, but luscious cookie made with homemade sesame paste, honey, brown sugar and crispy cornflakes. The cereal flakes mixed into the batter give these macaroons a crumbly, crunchy, nutty flavor with a delicate air-like texture. Normally served at festivals, they are a favorite of the residents of the Umbrian hill town of Montefalco. In those parts they call them biscotti sesamo ai cereali. This whole meal is gluten free too!! Chef Mark recommends pairing the meal with Pinot Grigio (white) or Pinot Noir (red.)

No experience is required! We will send you the equipment and ingredients list, which are easy to find and you may already have them in your home kitchen. Essential ingredients you would need for this class: boneless pork shoulder roast aka pork butt roast, olive oil, kosher salt, ground black pepper, fresh sage leaves, fresh rosemary, garlic cloves, orange, whole or crushed fennel seeds, kitchen or butcher's twine, toasted sesame seeds, brown sugar, butter, clover honey, plain cornflakes, powdered sugar, parchment or wax paper. You will have an opportunity to interact with the Chef and ask questions once you have created your dish.

Prepare your mis-en-place ahead of the session, grab your favorite drinks, and get ready to join a fun virtual cooking party! Ticket is on a per-person basis.Please note our class time is in Eastern Time Zone!