La Caseddha Rural Experience:An Unforgettable Pasta Class in Puglia

Looking for the best pasta-making class in Puglia?
This is the one I still dream about.

La Caseddha Rural Experience isn’t just a cooking class—it’s an invitation. Into a family home. Onto a quiet farm near Ostuni. Into a kitchen where flour dust lingers in the sunlight and stories are passed down with each hand-rolled shape of orecchiette.

(I am so dramatic, just trying to set the scene)

When I booked this class, I thought I’d just learn to make pasta. What I didn’t expect was to walk away with a deeper understanding of Puglian food culture, a few new friends from across Europe, and a bottle of olive oil I now ration like gold.

This isn’t a touristy gimmick. It’s the real deal, with a woman named Antonella who pours generations of farming wisdom into every dish.

Also, I still talk to Antonella on Instagram, and that says a lot.

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Best Pasta-Making Class in Puglia: Why I Chose La Caseddha

There are dozens of cooking classes across Puglia, but most won’t take you to a real farm.

Or give you access to a masseria where olive oil has been pressed by the same family for three generations.

Or let you learn from someone like Antonella, who welcomes you with flour-dusted hands and stories of her grandfather’s wheat fields.

Here’s what makes this experience different:

• It takes place on a working organic farm near Ostuni
• You’ll learn from a local woman whose family has been farming here for over 70 years
• You’ll make pasta the traditional way—with your hands, no machines
• And you’ll taste some of the best extra virgin olive oil in Italy, pressed just meters away

This isn’t just about food. It’s about connection—to the land, to the past, and to the people who still live it every day.

Meet Antonella: The Heart Behind This Puglia Cooking Class

One of the first things Antonella said to me was,
“Take all the photos you want—this is your kitchen now.”

That’s the kind of welcome you get at La Caseddha.

Antonella isn’t just a cooking instructor—she’s a third-generation farmer, olive oil producer, and a passionate storyteller.

Her grandfather, Masino, worked these same fields by hand before tractors ever arrived in the Brindisi area. Her father continued the tradition, and now Antonella runs the farm alongside her family, including her son Carmine.

Every step of this experience feels deeply personal, from the moment you walk through the historic masseria—a fortified farmhouse once used to protect local farmers—to when you gather at the table for olive oil tasting. The masseria now stores olive oil, ancient grains, and seasonal vegetables—all grown just steps away.

Her commitment to sustainable farming runs deep. No chemicals. No shortcuts. Just respect for the land and what it provides.

And that respect? It shows in everything she teaches.

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What It’s Like to Take a Pasta-Making Class at La Caseddha

We pulled up to the farm just before sunset, greeted by golden light and Antonella’s bright smile.
“Buongiorno, Kimberly and Isaac!” she called out, already wiping flour off her hands.

She gave us a quick tour of the property, pointed out the best photo spots (she loves when you bring your camera), and welcomed us like old friends. Within minutes, I forgot I was a guest—I felt like part of the family.

Then, the real fun began: making orecchiette, Puglia’s most iconic pasta.

Don’t worry if you’ve never made pasta before. I hadn’t either.
Antonella broke it down step by step, guiding each of us with such patience that even the most unsure hands turned into confident pasta-shapers by the end.

When I struggled with the technique, she came over, gently placed her hand over mine, and said,
“AllooooorrA!”
That moment—the warmth, the humor, the hands-on help—is something I’ll never forget.

You don’t just learn to cook here—you learn why it matters.

We made a variety of traditional shapes beyond orecchiette. Each one came with a story—where it originated, why it’s made that way, and what sauces bring it to life. She taught with flour-dusted fingers and pride in her voice.

Tasting Olive Oil and Learning What’s at Stake in Puglia

After pasta, we gathered outside for something just as memorable:
A tasting of Antonella’s own extra virgin olive oil.

She poured three varieties, each pressed from trees that have been in her family for generations. As we dipped fresh bread into golden-green pools of oil, she taught us how to identify quality: the color, the aroma, the peppery finish at the back of your throat.

But then her tone shifted.

“Some of these trees are over 500 years old,” she said. “And we’re losing them.”

She explained that many of Puglia’s ancient olive groves are under threat from a bacteria called Xylella fastidiosa—a fast-spreading disease that clogs the trees’ water systems, slowly choking them from the inside.

The culprit? A tiny insect called the spittlebug.

Once infected, the trees can’t be saved. Thousands across Southern Italy have already been cut down, leaving farmers heartbroken and families without income.

Antonella’s family has worked hard to protect their trees, avoiding chemicals, rotating crops, and continuing the organic farming methods her grandfather passed down.

Why This Matters

This wasn’t just an olive oil tasting.
It was a glimpse into the fight to preserve Puglia’s food heritage.

When you book this class or buy her olive oil, you’re not just tasting something delicious—you’re helping protect a centuries-old way of life.

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Why This Is One of the Best Cooking Classes in Puglia

La Caseddha Rural Experience isn’t just a food tour.
It’s the kind of evening that stays with you, long after the pasta’s gone.

You’ll learn to shape orecchiette by hand.
You’ll walk through an ancient masseria.
You’ll hear stories of resilience, farming, and family.
And you’ll be reminded that the most unforgettable travel experiences are often the simplest ones—made with flour, olive oil, and human connection.

Antonella doesn’t just teach cooking. She shows you what it means to care for the land, to welcome strangers like old friends, and to honor the traditions that built this region.

Planning a trip to Puglia?
Don’t miss my full Puglia itinerary, where I share more local experiences, day trips, and food stops I loved.
→ COMING SOON!

Looking for other food experiences in Italy?

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