Sicilian Pantry: Daily Traditional Sicilian Cooking Lessons in Palermo
5.0
179 Ratings
Palermo
Immerse yourself in the flavors of Sicily with daily traditional cooking lessons in Palermo. Explore the local market, learn authentic techniques, and enjoy a 4-course meal with Sicilian wines. Perfect for all cooking levels!
Duration: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Via del Noviziato, 29 - Meet near Porta Carini, the entrance to the fabulous Mercato del Capo. Head into the market to pick up anything we need for the lesson, then we walk to the air-conditioned kitchen to prepare a 4 course meal of seasonal Sicilian dishes, made up of a starter, a pasta dish, a main course and desert. Then we all sit down to enjiy what we have made with a selection of Sicilian wines, then we round things off with some coffee and homemade liquors.
What's Included
  • Market Tour
  • Lunch
  • Cookery Lesson
Meal Options
  • Panelle - freshly fried chick pea fritters, served with a squeeze of lemon, a cornerstone of Palermo street food and a favourite of everyone


  • Arancine al burro - a Palermo market street food classic, saffron flavoured rice balls filled with ham and cheese then breaded and fried

  • Carciofi fritti - fresh artichokes, cleaned then quartered, breaded and fried


  • Pasta fresca con salsa fresca - make your own southern Italian style fresh pasta, we’ll top this with some freshly made tomato sauce

  • Pasta con le sarde - a Palermitan classic, pasta with fresh sardines, wild fennel, saffron, currents and pine nuts, topped with toasted breadcrumbs

  • Involtini di carne - thin meat rolls stuffed with cheese, breadcrumbs, currants and almonds, skewered, breaded and roasted, this is a family favourite in any household

  • Pesce spada panato - slices of delicious swordfish dipped in extra-virgin olive oil and coated with breadcrumbs seasoned with fresh parsley, mint and lemon zest

  • Cannoli - the most famous Sicilian dessert, fried pastry tubes filled with sweet ricotta cream & garnished with candied orange peel & pistachios from Bronte


  • Cassata - THE Sicilian cake! homemade almond paste & sponge cake stuffed with sweet ricotta cream & decorated with candied fruit, a real treat!

  • Granita di mandorle - a simple and delicious frozen desert made simply with water, sugar and almonds


Additional Information

The Family Pantry of Sicily is a culinary school managed by a family and nestled in the core of Palermo’s historical district. We provide day-to-day market tours and cooking sessions focused on conventional Sicilian recipes.

We congregate in the morning at one of Palermo’s most ancient markets, pick up the necessary ingredients for our dishes, then amble over to our air-conditioned culinary classroom to whip up a four-course Sicilian feast, acquiring the skills and tips essential for replicating the meal when you get back home. Following the session, we’ll relish the fruits of our labor, complemented by a variety of Sicilian wines and finished with homemade spirits and coffee.

We firmly believe that the true representation of Sicilian gastronomy is reflected through the freshness and seasonality of its produce, so we go to great lengths to ensure we consistently present the best of what Sicily can give to our attendees.

This is an entertaining and insightful experience, recommended for culinary enthusiasts of any skill level.

We connect at 10:00 and lessons usually conclude around 15:00.

  • Not recommended for people with severe food allergies, please get in touch to let us know of any dietary requirements.
Location
Orlando
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele Orlando
I will meet you at Piazza Vittorio Emanuele Orlando at the corner with the Unicredit Bank Position: 38°07'11.0"N 13°21'09.1"E The meeting point is a 5 min walk from Teatro Massimo, go to the back of the theatre and walk straight up & to the end of Via Volturno.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(179 Ratings)
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Lindsey_h
Apr 13, 2024
Great English speaking and DELICIOUS food! - Michael was so amazing! He speaks great English so there was no issue with language barrier. He was always willing to answer all of our questions and was very thorough on instructions and explanations. The space was so quaint and perfect for our group of 6. The food was delicious and I cannot wait to take the recipes home and make them! The tour through the market was fascinating too!
Review provided by Viator
Dionep782
Apr 13, 2024
Delicious cooking class plus so much more! - This was a fantastic class, we went as a family and Michael was very accomodating for our little boy. The food was absolutely to die for, the other guests were all so lovely and we had the best day! Highly highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Courtney_k
Apr 11, 2024
Highly recommend! - We had so much fun and learned so much with Michael! Learned about the market and Palermo and cooked amazing food! Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Preeya_d
Mar 26, 2024
Amazing time, highly recommend! - Michael and Melissa were a great team and we really enjoyed our time with them. We learned about currently cultural trends in Palermo, dynamics in the market, dining recommendations, as well as cooking tips. We had a great time and the food was delicious!! Highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
M5555urwilliamp
Mar 23, 2024
Best day ever - Michael and Melissa were amazing, this was the best experience of my trip, the market was great and the instruction was easy to follow and inclusive and of course the food was amazing!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Terri
Mar 17, 2024
Great!! - Michael was great!! We enjoyed the class and learned A LOT. We loved going to and learning about the market, picking out our ingredients. We made pasta noodles by hand!! Was great! Highly recommend!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Urszula_m
Mar 15, 2024
Amazing Cooking class in Palermo! - The whole experience was amazing! Michael and Melissa were really great, they gave us a lot of cooking tips. Food was very delicious, and we received recipes for everything we made that day. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Viator
Susan_j
Mar 8, 2024
Wonderful day - This was a lovely day with Michael and his assistant. Learned a lot touring the market. The class was haha on, well paced and the lunch was terrific including a couple of wines, mandarnista (like limoncello) and the final espresso. Michael doesn't a lot of time with us answering our questions about Sicilan culture in general. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Clioprofsb
Mar 7, 2024
Prepare an authentic Sicilian Meal - Michael and Melisa are a wonderful team. The entire experience from initial contact and correspondence, through shopping in the market , preparing and enjoying the finished meal was professional, educational, delicious, and fun! I highly recommend including the Sicilian Pantry in your travel itinerary while in Palermo.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Achimd995
Mar 2, 2024
Great experience!!! - We had an absolutely marvellous time with Michael. First we went to the market. He told us a lot about the local and seasonal produce. Then we went to his workshop kitchen, where we were greeted by his super-nice assistant Melissa. And then we got started. Thanks to their support, we were able to master the challenge of preparing fresh spaghetti without any problems. It was pure pleasure. By the end, we were in a great mood and had learnt a lot. Absolutely recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 7 guests
1 Adult
May 2024
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