Cascina Desderi offers Italian cooking classes on selected dates in the spring and fall, or on a request basis any time during the year. The courses are aimed at amateurs. Of course some basic cooking knowledge is an advantage, it is, however, not strictly necessary and the end result will be the same regardless of prior knowledge. For more professionals, we will gladly design other courses - and professional chefs are also welcome. The Piemontese chef and restaurant owner; Duilio Moiso, is responsible for the course and cooking classes. He will purchase fresh ingredients from the local market (for professional chefs and restaurants only) every morning before classes. The dishes that will be prepared are typical of the Piemontese region, they will, however, also include specialties from other Italian regions such as Liguria (fish, seafood and olive oil), Valle d`Aosta (game) and Emilia Romagna (Parma ham and Parmigiano cheese) and Lombardia (Gorgonzola) - and pizza and pasta that are synonymous and representative for all of Italy is of course part of the courses and classes.

For a number of years Duilio owned and was the executive chef of the immensely popular Ristorante L'Altra Campana in the center of Asti . This ristorante was regarded as one of Asti 's premier restaurants and a place where you were guaranteed to get the best Piemontese specialties prepared the classical way. Duilio did not only produce excellent food these years, but also three children. Thus the family broke up from Asti and moved into the countryside. Here cats, dogs, hens and children thrive together - and the eggs from his own hens are ingredients in his home made pasta served in his new Ristorante Il Campanaro, beautifully set in the hills above Portacomaro. Here the Piemontese cuisine is even more classic.

Duilio has also worked outside Italy ; in Kenya , USA , England and Norway .

A portrait of Cascina Desderi 's professional kitchen:
The kitchen is situated in the Cascina's ground floor; piano terra. It is app. 60 sq. m . or just under 600 sq. feet. Duilio has designed the kitchen. Thus we are fortunate to have a professional kitchen that has been designed by a chef with years of experience from his own (and others') restaurant kitchens. The wet-, cool-, fridge, hot- and temperate zones are all placed in accordance with the laws of the Italian health department - controlli sanitari. There is a total of 8 gas ranges, 2 gas stoves and one electric with hot air and vapor. All equipment such as food processors, slicing and cutting machines, espresso cooker etc. are standard and will be accessible for the cooking class participants. There is a dining room table with room for 10 persons (can be extended with an additional 6). At this table you will taste the results of your cooking efforts. When the temperature and weather permit, the table can be set outside in the garden - or under the portico. The minimum number of participants is 4, while the maximum is 16. The classes are given daily from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM , followed by dining. On Wednesdays the class is from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM , followed by dinner.
Prior to the cooking class Duilio will be available at the Mercato Coperto, where you can meet him and assist in selecting all the ingredients for the menu of the day.

Wines:
Wine with the meals are not included. Duilio has an excellent wine cellar, so he can bring wines from his restaurant, complementing the dishes and the ingredients of what you have prepared. Cascina Desderi 's own wine - vino da tavola - will be ready for consumption by the fall of 2005, while the Desderi Barbera Superiore (vintage 2004) will be ready for consumption by the late fall of 2006. Cascina Desderi 's wine partner and producer is the family run and operated vineyard La Giribaldina (half an hour away), offering a variety of wines: Barbera Superiore, Barbera regular, white and passito. During the course an excursion to La Giribaldina can be arranged, including wine tasting and also purchase of wines.

At Cascina Desderi you can choose between the following cooking classes:

Numero Uno:

€ 125 per person.

A one day crash course, an introduction to the Piemontese Cuisine:

The philosophy behind this one day lesson, is to introduce how to prepare a 5 course lunch or dinner during a 4 hour class. The ingredients that will be used are typical Piemontese, while at the same time they will be accessible in your local grocery at home. The ingredients will vary somewhat according toe the seasons as everything that is utilized is fresh, purchased the very same morning at the market. (For those participants, who take part in the long weekend or one week course, as this is Day One in the number of classes).

A typical 5 course dish will include the following dishes:

Antipasti:
Artichoke Flan

Prosciutto Crudo di Parma - served with extra virgin olive oil and shaved parmesan cheese

Pasta:
Tagliatelle with porcini mushroom condiment

Secondo:
Spezzatino of pork prepared in Barbera wine

Dolce:
Bonet - a typical chocolate flan

Coffee:
Espresso accompanied with Grappa Desderi

***

The dough for the pasta is prepared as the tagliatelle has to be cut fresh before being boiled. The porcini condiment is prepared.

The artichokes are rinsed. The parts suited for the flan selected, the rest goes into a salad. The béchamel and the other ingredients for the flan prepared.

The pork meat is cut. The wine and herb and spice condiment are mixed.

The dessert is prepared in between the other dishes.

Around 2:00 PM the table is set and the complete meal is ready and served - buon appetito!

Please note:

For those participants who have additional days of cooking classes, the preparation for the following day's pasta and main course are being prepared.

Tomorrow's pasta dish is Agnolotti (Piemontese pasta pockets filled with some secret specialties) - the fill for these pockets will be prepared like a stew containing vegetables, meat, spices and herbs.

Tomorrow's secondo is a Piemontese Brasato; beef that is cooked at a low temperature over time in Barbera wine and herbs and spices.

Numero Due:

€ 120 per person.

The second day in class we shall combine the partly pre-prepared dishes from the previous day, with today's 3 new courses. The philosophy behind these choices is still that they will be accessible in your local grocery at home so that you can prepare them while being back in your own country. The main ingredients are still from Piemonte.

A typical 5 course dish will include the following dishes:

Antipasti:
Peperoni con Bagna Cauda, served with fresh home baked bread.

Duilio's special goat cheese - Robiola di Roccaverano - served with honey and nuts - and still home baked bread

Pasta:
Agnolotti con ragout

Secondo:
Brasato con polenta

Dolce:
Panna cotta

Coffee:
Espresso accompanied with Grappa Desderi

***

The dough for the pasta is prepared. The same goes for the polenta.

Duilio's own peperoni is prepared to be mixed with the sauce for the Bagna Cauda. This sauce is prepared with olive oil, lots of garlic and anchovy (part of this preparation has been started the day prior).

The pasta dough is flattened and the already prepared agnolotti fill is spread across the dough. The pockets are being formed and made ready for cooking.

The brasato meat is cut into convenient pieces before the meat is reheated.

The most typical of all Piemontese desserts "Panna cotta" is prepared - with a secret recipe for the condiment - the sauce or the trimmings.

Numero Tre

€ 60 per person (this class is free for those who have chosen a one week cooking class).

The pizza originated in Napoli , but soon became the national dish of Italy - before invading the world. There is no such thing as a Pizza Piemontese, even though each and every region adopt a pizza and try to flavor it with their own specialties. If we should appoint a typical pizza from the Piemontese region, it would be "Pizza Quattro formaggi con aroma di tartufo". First Duilio will give you his own recipe for the pizza dough and teach you the tricks of the trade to get the pizza bottom paper thin and crispy. The topping - condimento - is prepared according to the season's Quattro Stagioni has to offer of vegetables and mushrooms, and whatever the cucina has at hand of meat, ham, sausages or seafood. The pizza is either prepared in the electric stove in the kitchen, or outside on the courtyard in the "forno" - according to the temperature and weather.

As this day of cooking class is shorter than the other days, an excursion with wine tasting to Barolo or Barbaresco can be arranged. If time permits, the small and intimate vineyard La Giribaldina may also be visited and the owners will inform about the art of winemaking step by step from the receipt of the grapes to the final product. The size of the group will determine whether the excursion will be operated by car, van or minibus - and if a sommelier guide be included. Price on this also depends on the size of the group.

***

Numero Quattro:

€ 150 per person.

Today we will prepare a feast of a dinner with ingredients from Piemonte , Liguria , Lombardia and Emilia Romagna. It is reflecting the diversity of Italian cooking with the best from each region. Again we have aimed to compose dishes that you will also be able to serve in your own home.

A typical 7 course dish will include the following dishes:

Antipasti:
Carne Cruda alla Piemontese - with extra virgin olive oil and shaved parmesan cheese

Prosciutto Crudo di Parma with a composition of fruits

Pasta:
Risotto ai Frutti di Mare

Soup:
Zuppa di Pesce alla Ligure

Secondo:
Filetto di Scottona alla Piemontese

Cheese:
Parmigiano, Gorgonzola & goat cheese from Piemonte

Dessert:
Zabaglione e Biscotti

Coffee:
Espresso accompanied with Grappa Desderi

***

The carne cruda is prepared - meat of veal is minced into a beef tartar and blended with olive oil, lemon and finely grated parmesan cheese. The Parma ham is sliced into paper thin slices and then accompanied with fruits.

The rice from the rice fields surrounding Vercelli (ca. 45 minutes from Asti ) becomes the risotto - then mixed with the fruits from the sea as condiments. What is not utilized is used as bouillon stock for the fish and seafood soup.

The filet of beef is either "Scottona" or "Fassone" - beef from either a cow or ox especially bred to produce the finest Piemonte beef, which is certified like Heresford or Angus. Marinated and grilled.

The cheese tray is decorated with grapes and fruits from Cascina Desderi - according to seasons and served with excellent cheeses from Piemonte, Lombardia and Emilia Romagna.

The dessert is a sort of warm sauce prepared with eggs, M oscato wine and sugar served with home made biscotti.

Numero Cinque

From € 120.00 per person

On this fifth and last day of the course, it is up to the cooking class team to determine the menu selection - being previous dishes from Duilio's classes or ingredients you select from Italy 's bountiful and many faceted cuisine. The Mediterranean - which is located a mere hour away from Asti - boasts some of the best seafood the sea has to offer; lobster, clams, mussels and a variety of fish and you can create a Frutti di Mare where your fantasy is the only limit. In the hills and mountains surrounding Piemonte you find a treasure chest of mushrooms, berries and herbs. The subterranean truffles - tartufo - is in a class - and price - by itself in the Italian cuisine. A few thinly sliced tartufi on top of a tagliatelle can amount to € 20 as a mer 100 gram cost € 300 the fall of 2004. Your main course may consist of a bistecca of the finest Piemontese beef - or any meat from lamb, veal, wild boar, rabbit or hare. The finest ham from Parma may be one of a numerous antipasti, while a tray of cheese prior to the dolce is served with a delicious passito wine. As this fifth cooking class course is the last of the week, Duilio should be advised about the composition of the menu a couple of days in advance.

Prices and Programs:

One day Introductory Course

€ 125 per person + accommodation (not compulsory)

Long Weekend

€ 335 per person + accommodation for 4 days

Thursday Arrival

Friday Class Numero Uno from 10 to 14

Saturday Class Numero Due from 10 to 14

Sunday Class Numero Tre from 14 -17

Monday Departure (or extend your stay at Cascina Desderi )

One Week

From € 515* per person + accommodation for one week

Saturday Arrival

Sunday Class Numero Uno from 10 to 14

Monday Class Numero Due from 10 to 14

Tuesday Class Numero Tre from 14 -17

Wednesday Class Numero Quattro

Thursday Class Numero Cinque (the menu composition on day 5 will determine the total price of the One week course)

Friday Day at leisure for wine tasting, shopping or sightseeing

Saturday Departure (or extend your stay at Cascina Desderi )

* The price of the course - € 515 - is paid in advance. The difference between the € 515 and the value of the composition of dishes in Numero Cinque is to be paid to Cascina Desderi on or before day 5.