BECOMING TUSCAN
One of a kind, customizable cooking course tailored to you and your schedule
Go from your current cooking level to mastery of Tuscan cuisine
- 20 hours of personalized, private lessons with chef Davide Cerretini, live from his kitchen in Tuscany.
Become highly proficient at cooking Tuscan cuisine with a personalized lesson plan, 20 hours of private zoom classes, and many extras to take your cooking to the next level (and keep it there.)






Plus These Extras!
- Find your joy in cooking all over againYou will love the fun, relaxed and joyful experience of cooking with chef Davide and eating the incredible food you make, even if you lost the spark for cooking a long time ago and have just been going through the motions to keep yourself and your family fed.
- Build on what you know until you are totally confidentThe course is designed to take you from wherever you are, to comfortable mastery of Tuscan cuisine, so you can improve your cooking steadily without having to either wait for others to catch up, or scramble because you are behind.
- Take the fast track to successPersonalized, private lessons mean that you don't waste any time, or learn things you don't want to know. Your cooking will improve in leaps and bounds even if you lack confidence or have never tried many of the dishes you will learn to cook.

- 6391 Elgin St. Celina, Delaware 10299
- gemsleep@gmail.com
- +102 3343 4722
Course Details
What This Unit Covers
Understanding and perfectly preparing the basic sauces are crucial for the making of many Tuscan dishes like Lasagna, seafood pasta, baked pasta, stewing, braising and pan roasting.
In this unit you will learn:
Techniques and tips for preparing sauces and soffritos properly
1. The difference between a sauce and a soffrito.
2. How to plan your recipes ahead of time so you can shop effectively
3. Prepping ingredients and why it's so important to do
4. How to enhance flavors using only a few things you have on hand.
5. Which sauces go with which pastas, and why.
6. Creating an array of delicious sauces and soffritos and using them in dishes.
Sauces and Soffritos (you will choose 5-6 to learn)
Skills Learned
- Making creamy cheese sauce without the use of any cream
- How to enhance flavors using only a few basic ingredients
- The right way to use garlic in in your sauces and soffritos
- Using Peperoncino and other spices without overwhelming the aromas
- Using fresh herbs instead of dry spices
- Improving the flavor of your dishes without changing the ingredients
- Timing and tips on preparation
What this unit covers
Stewing, roasting and braising form the backbone of Tuscan cooking. We'll be covering all the techniques you need to know to create mouthwatering dishes very simply and easily.
Dishes (you will choose 5 of these)
- Nonna's Chicken Stew with Twice Cooked Potatoes
- Artichokes, Leek, Pea and Fava Bean Stew
- Tuscan Sausage and Beans
- Peperonata - Bell Pepper, Basil Tuscan Stew
- Roast Pork Loin filled with Tuscan Salami
- Crispty Cornish Hen
- Roasted Sausage and Potato with Beer
- Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine Reduction
- Roasted Rabbit with White Wine Reduction
- Braised Wild Boar with Olives
Skills Learned
- How to choose the proper vegetables for Tuscan stew
- How to properly cut and prepare veggies, meats and chicken
- Timing and procedures for braising
- Knowing your ingredients and utensils
- How to prepare quick pan-roasted meals
- How to cook with wine
- How to make a reduction
- Using fresh herbs
- Enhancing flavors with just a few steps
COURSE OUTLINE
The Course is designed to be totally flexible, so you can work with Chef Davide before you even begin cooking to come up with the perfect lesson plan for you within each section. If you are gluten free, vegetarian/vegan, or have any other food intolerances, chef Davide will guide you so that you learn by cooking exactly the dishes you want.
You can also pace yourself as you wish, and have your classes be 2-4 hours long until you have covered all the material (for a total of 20 class hours).
Classes can be spaced out as you choose over a period of 3 months. Each unit is designed to be completed over several classes.

UNIT 1
Basic Sauces and Soffritos
At the beginning it is vitally important to first learn how to perfectly prepare basic sauces and soffritos, which are crucial to Tuscan cooking. You will create an array of delicious sauces and soffritos and use them in 5-6 of the dishes below over several classes.
If you are already familiar with these sauces we will take your skill set to a new level.

- Meat Ragu
- Bechemel
- Tuscan Pesto
- Pomodoro Basil
- Sage and Butter
- Cacio e Pepe
- Alio, Olio e Peperoncino
- Cheese and Egg Yolk
- Porcini Mushroom Ragu
- Artichoke and Leek Ragu
- Zucchini Carbonara

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
- The difference between a sauce and a soffrito.
- Matching sauces with pastas..how and why it makes such a difference.
- Making creamy cheese sauce that tastes amazing without the use of any cream.
- The right way to use garlic in in your sauces and soffritos.
- Using Peperoncino and other strong spices without overwhelming the aromas.
- How and why to use fresh herbs instead of dry spices.
- Improving the flavor of your dishes without changing any of the ingredients.
- How to plan your recipes ahead of time so you can shop effectively.

UNIT 2
Stewing, Roasting and Braising
Stewing, roasting and braising form the backbone of Tuscan cooking. We'll be covering all the techniques you need to know to create mouthwatering dishes very simply and easily.

Artichokes, Leek, Pea and Fava Bean Stew
Tuscan Sausage and Beans
Peperonata - Bell Pepper, Basil Tuscan Stew
Roast Pork Loin filled with Tuscan Salami
Crispty Cornish Hen
Roasted Sausage and Potato with Beer
Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine Reduction
Roasted Rabbit with White Wine Reduction
Braised Wild Boar with Olives

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
- How to choose the proper vegetables for Tuscan stew
- How to cut and prepare veggies, meats and chicken for stews and roasts.
- Timing and procedures for braising
- Knowing your ingredients and utensils
- How to prepare quick pan-roasted meals
- How to cook with wine
- How to make a reduction
- Using fresh herbs
- Enhancing flavors with just a few steps

UNIT 3
Tuscan Comfort Food
The secrets of old Tuscan peasant cuisine


WHAT YOU WILL LEARN