Le Cordon Bleu London Review
I love a good cooking class and was so excited to be invited to do a short course at Le Cordon Bleu in Bloomsbury. I’ve been to short cooking classes before, but the Italian Primi Piatti course really made me live my chef fantasy for a day.
In this one-day class, we learned how to make a few dishes which regularly feature as the first course on menus across Italy. We learned various techniques, including making fresh pasta doughs, a braised beef filling, potato gnocchi, shaping and cooking pasta, as well as the accompanying sauces.
On our menu for the day was:
- Agnolotti del Plin al Sugo di Brasato – Braised beef agnolotti, parmesan butter sauce and Barbera wine jus
- Gnocchi alla Sorrentina – Potato gnocchi with tomato, mozzarella and basil
- Orecchiette con le cime di rapa – Orecchiette pasta with rapini, anchovies and chilli sauce
As well as the buzz of being in a professional training kitchen, I loved how organised it all was and how we multitasked across all three dishes throughout the day. Whilst the beef was in the oven to slow cook for 2 hours, we started on preparing various pasta doughs and chopping vegetables for various fillings. I’ve always been a bit nervous to use a large sharp knife for my cutting, but the instructors gave us great techniques to make it smooth and efficient and I soon started to feel more comfortable with it.
As well as learning new techniques, it’s always cool to be introduced to new ingredients and flavours during similar classes. I’d never heard of ripini before, but found it to be a bit like a cavalo nero/kale/spinach and it worked perfectly with our orecchiette; which was definitely an achievement to shape and make!
After a short orecchiette eating break, we went back to the agnolotti, which again was something I’d never made before and was curious to learn. The beef we cooked earlier fell apart and was mixed with veg and seasoning to make the filling and once our dough was stretched out and pulled through the machine, we piped it on to the dough, rolled and cut into individual portions. (Note to self: having long nails isn’t the best idea for a pasta making class, as my nails kept cutting holes in the delicate pastry!) The filled pasta was finished in a butter and parmesan sauce and was absolutely delicious!
Last up was the Gnocchi. We eat gnocchi relatively regularly at home, but the difference between the freshness of what we made in the class and what I’ve bought off the shelves was huge. It’s also amazing how great a simple and basic tomato sauce can taste if you’re using good quality ingredients! We actually ended up taking the gnocchi and sauce home with us and had it for dinner the next day, and it was just as fresh and tasty!
I had an absolute ball at the class and was on such a high when we left (even if my feet were tired from standing up in the kitchen all day!) The instructor was knowledgeable and patient and gave everyone a good level of freedom to get on with making each of the dishes, whilst also being on hand for any advice or questions. Everyone else in the class was also really friendly and I think the level of what they offer is perfect for beginners, home cooks and those looking to pursue a career in Italian cooking in equal measure. It was such a fantastic experience and I’d recommend all foodies experience something like this at least once in their lifetime!
For more information on the short courses available, visit Le Cordon Bleu London Culinary School, Wine & Management
