There’s more to Italian cuisine than pastas and pizza

Italian food is almost always associated with Tuscan cuisine but the Lombardy region is fast becoming a culinary hotspot with a number of traditional local recipes of its own on the menu. New cookery holiday company Italian Hideaways aims to show guests that there is more to Italian food than just pizza and pasta.

At the Italian Hideaways villa in Bergamo guests can learn to prepare local dishes such as Quaglie e polenta (quails and polenta) and Risotto agli asparagi selvatici (rice with wild asparagus). All of the ingredients used at the villa are locally sourced including the wine and grappa. Guests can enjoy guided excursions to markets, cheese producers and wineries to sample the best regional produce.

Unlike in Tuscany where pasta based dishes are widely offered, there is a greater use of rice in the Lombardy region. Bergamo is traditionally a land of hunters and game; in particular goose, pheasant and duck are very popular. Lake fish such as perch and pike are also a staple on many menus.

Traditional dishes which can be found in the Lombardy region are Casonsei alla Bergamasca (ravioli with meat filling), Polenta taragna e coniglio (rabbit and polenta with cheese), Risootto alla Milanese e ossobuco (saffron rice and veal), Sarde in soar (fried sardines), Guanciale al Valcalepio (veal guanciale in red wine) and Pere al Valcalepio (pears baked in red wine).

Italian Hideaways specialises in weekend and week-long cookery breaks to Bergamo, where guests can learn to make traditional dishes of the region from local chef.

Weekend breaks cost from £849 per person sharing a double or twin room. This price includes cookery lessons, airport limo transfers, sightseeing excursions of the area, visits to local producers, breakfasts, dinners and drinks. Tailor-made packages can also be designed for larger groups wishing to book the eight-person villa on a sole occupancy basis, these start from £450 for two nights stay, two cookery lessons, transfers and guided excursions.

Flights to Bergamo or Milan are available with British Airways, Alitalia, AirOne, Easyjet, Jet2, bmibaby and Ryanair.

For more information and reservations, visit italianhideaways.co.uk.