A few weeks before our Italy trip, Steven and I realized something:
We were going to be in Italy the week before my mom’s birthday.
Naturally, we wanted to plan something special for her.
I went back and forth between booking some kind of art class or a cooking class, and looking back now, I am so glad we chose the cooking class.
I found our class through Tripadvisor and booked “Amalfi Coast: Small Group Pasta and Tiramisu Class by Cesarine.”
One of the biggest things that drew me to this particular experience was that the class would actually take place in the chef’s home and kitchen.
That immediately sounded more personal than taking a class in a commercial kitchen.
And selfishly?
I was also really hoping their home would have an amazing view of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
We definitely lucked out.
Would the Cooking Class Even Happen?
Our class ended up having a little more suspense leading up to it than I expected.
While we were traveling through Rome and making our way toward Positano, a wildfire had broken out in the area.
I had been messaging our chef because road closures were making it difficult for them to get back home, and for a while we genuinely weren’t sure whether the class would need to be postponed or even canceled.
Thankfully, everything worked out.
Our class was originally scheduled for 10:00 a.m., but our chef asked if we could move it to 11:00 instead.
Of course, we were happy to make it work.
Then came the journey to their house.
They had recommended taking a taxi.
We looked at Google Maps and thought:
It’s only about a 25-minute walk. We can do that.
If you’ve already read about our time in Positano, you probably know how this story ends.
Positano walking times should come with an asterisk.
There were hills.
There were stairs.
There was heat.
And even though we gave ourselves extra time, we still arrived a few minutes after 11.
By the time we reached their home, we were definitely ready for some water and a chance to sit down.
Surprise — We Had a Private Cooking Class!
When we arrived, we found out that the other two people who had booked the class decided not to come because of the wildfire situation.
That meant our small-group cooking class unexpectedly turned into a private cooking class for the three of us.
Honestly, it made the entire experience even more special.
We got to spend the morning with Rubina and Valeria, ask questions, take our time, and really enjoy being welcomed into their home.
And the view? Exactly what I had hoped for.
We were directed out onto the terrace, where we could look out over the Tyrrhenian Sea.
It was beautiful.
Surprise, Mom!
Before the trip, I had messaged our chef and asked if there were any Italian birthday traditions we could incorporate for my mom.
Her response? “Eating and drinking!”
Fair enough.
I also asked if there was any way we could sing Happy Birthday to her in Italian.
When we walked into Rubina and Valeria’s home, we were directed out to the terrace.
Then Rubina asked: “Who’s birthday is it?”
I will forever remember my mom’s face.
She looked completely shocked.
Steven and I had managed to keep the whole birthday part of the cooking class a surprise.
They had even set out an “It’s My Birthday” button for her to wear.
It was such a small touch, but it made the morning feel immediately special.
After drinking some water and recovering from our hike to their home, it was finally time to start cooking.
Making Homemade Pasta
Our first task was making the dough for our pasta.
We each made our own and worked through mixing and rolling it out.
And apparently, Steven had been hiding a secret pasta-making talent.
At one point, Rubina looked at his dough and said:
“Perfetto!”
Naturally, he was very proud of himself.
After our dough rested for a little while, it was time to stretch it out and cut it into noodles.
We each took turns working with our dough and then hanging the finished pasta on the pasta holder.
There was something really satisfying about looking at those noodles and knowing we had actually made them ourselves from scratch.
Pan-Toasted Tomato Bruschetta
Next, we made pan-toasted tomato bruschetta.
We cut up cherry tomatoes that came straight from Rubina’s garden and mixed them with oregano, basil, olive oil, and just a pinch of salt.
I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect from this one.
But it was delicious.
Sometimes the simplest foods end up being the best, especially when the ingredients are that fresh.
Between the tomatoes from the garden, the herbs, and the olive oil, it didn’t need anything complicated.
Making Tiramisu
Then it was time for dessert.
Homemade tiramisu.
This was the part my mom was probably most excited about.
Rubina had already prepared the cream before we arrived, so our job was assembling everything.
We started by adding a layer of cream to the bottom of the bowl.
Then we dipped ladyfingers into espresso and layered them between the cream.
Finally, everything was topped with cocoa powder.
Simple.
Delicious.
And very dangerous information to have now that I know how easy it can be to put together.
Time to Eat
While we worked on the bruschetta and tiramisu, Valeria was busy cooking our freshly made pasta and preparing the sauce.
Eventually, everything was ready.
And the best part of any cooking class finally arrived: Eating everything we had just made.
We sat down together and enjoyed the pasta, bruschetta, and the meal we had spent the morning preparing.
There was something especially fun about eating the pasta after seeing it go from a pile of flour and dough to actual noodles hanging on the rack.
But one more surprise remained.
Happy Birthday in Italian
When it was time for dessert, Rubina and Valeria came out carrying my mom’s tiramisu.
There was a candle in it.
And then they started singing Happy Birthday to her in Italian.
It was such a special moment.
A few weeks earlier, Steven and I had simply wanted to find something fun to do for my mom’s birthday while we were in Italy.
Now we were sitting on a terrace in Positano, overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, eating homemade Italian food while two women who had welcomed us into their home sang Happy Birthday to her in Italian.
It was so much better than anything I could have planned in my head.
One of Our Favorite Experiences in Italy
We absolutely loved our time with Rubina and Valeria.
Yes, we learned how to make pasta, bruschetta, and tiramisu.
But the thing that made the experience so memorable wasn’t just the food.
It was being welcomed into their home.
It was sitting on their terrace.
It was using tomatoes from their garden.
It was Rubina declaring Steven’s pasta dough “Perfetto!”
It was my mom’s expression when she realized we had planned a birthday surprise.
And it was ending the meal with a candle in her tiramisu and Happy Birthday being sung in Italian.
What was supposed to be a small-group cooking class unexpectedly became a private experience for the three of us, and I honestly think that made it even more special.
If you’re visiting the Amalfi Coast and looking for something beyond sightseeing, this is exactly the kind of experience I would recommend.
Some of my favorite memories from traveling aren’t always the famous landmarks.
Sometimes they’re sitting around someone’s table, eating something you made together.
And this was definitely one of those moments.
Cooking Class Details
Experience: Amalfi Coast: Small Group Pasta and Tiramisu Class by Cesarine
Booked Through: Cesarine/Tripadvisor
Hosts: Rubina and Valeria
What We Made: Homemade pasta, pan-toasted tomato bruschetta, and tiramisu
Setting: In the hosts’ home with a terrace overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea
View Rubina and Valeria’s Cesarine page: https://cesarine.com/en/experiences/discover-with-us-the-lemon-cuisine-of-the-amalfi-coast-zuT2Gm8xXs
Contact Rubina on WhatsApp: +39 338 323 0958
