If you’ve never made your own fresh pasta… well, what are you waiting for? 🙂 It tastes miles better than the dry stuff you buy at the supermarket and the process is incredibly fun – especially as a unique date night idea.
If you don’t know your ravioli from your mezzalune or your tortellini, here are ten pasta-making classes you can take in London.
1. The Jamie Oliver Cookery School
Best for… a quick primer on making pasta
If you’re looking for a quick and easy pasta-making class, this might be the one for you. This class will take you through the basics of making a perfect pasta dough from scratch, as well as shaping it into classic shapes like lasagne sheets and farfalle (those little pasta bows that look so fancy). You’ll also learn how to make two tasty sauces.
This class is specifically set up for you to work in pairs, making it perfect for couples!
📍 Highbury & Islington
💰 £59
⌚ 1 hour 45 mins
Other classes at Jamie Oliver Cookery School:
Unbeatable filled pasta
2. Leiths School of Food and Wine
Best for… honing your machine-free pasta skills
This class keeps things simple and honest by showing you how to make delicious homemade pasta, both with and without a pasta machine. If you’re new to making pasta at home and aren’t sure yet whether to splash out on a machine, you can find out if you enjoy making it by hand!
This lesson really focuses on getting the basic skills right and at four and a half hours, you’ll have time to really get stuck in to the techniques. Afterwards, you’ll eat together with a glass of elderflower cordial or wine.
📍 Hammersmith and Fulham
🌿 Dietary restrictions are catered for – let them know 10 days in advance
💰 £155
⌚ 4.5 hours
Other classes at Leiths School of Food and Wine:
Artisan Pasta with Ursula Ferrigno
3. Pasta Remoli
Best for… learning from an expert chef
Pasta Remoli is run by veteran chef Simone Remoli, who has prepared pasta at some of London’s most prestigious restaurants (including Roka, Barrafina and Bocca Di Lupo) before opening his own place.
This class is designed for passionate home cooks, so if you and your partner are hoping to step up your spaghetti game this class might be your best choice. Classes run on Saturday mornings and the price includes lunch and wine at the restaurant afterwards, so it’s perfect for a daytime date.
📍 Ealing Broadway
💰 £75
⌚ 2.5 hours
4. Borough Kitchen
Best for… learning the sauces
Just as important as making a great pasta is what to put on it!
Borough Kitchen’s classes will have you making a variety of mouthwatering sauces, including a simple tomato sauce, puttanesca sauce and sage butter sauce.
Afterwards, you’l enjoy what you’ve made, including Roasted Vegetable Lasagne, Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Ravioli – plus, you’ll be able to take home anything else you have left.
📍 Islington / Hampstead / Chiswick
🌿 On request, the class can be made suitable for vegetarians, pescatarians and dairy-free diets (however, pasta includes egg)
💰 £99 (the Key Skills class is cheaper at £50)
⌚ 3 hours
Other classes at Borough Kitchen
Mastering Filled Pasta
Key Skills: Pasta Techniques
5. Pasta Evangelists
Best for… a virtual pasta class!
Do you want to learn the tricks of the pasta trade without even leaving your home? Then book onto one of Pasta Evangelists’ virtual cooking classes and learn from the comfort of your own kitchen.
For a super affordable £15 you can dial in to a live workshop with head chef Roberta and learn how to make a variety of different pastas (depending on the class). The Cucina Povera class covers ‘pasta bianche’ (egg-free pasta) in classic orecchiette and strozzapreti shapes, the Seafood Special class will teach you about the seafood pasta dishes popular in different Italian seaside towns and the Summer Herbs class will show you how to make a herb-infused pasta dough.
📍 Virtual class
🌿 The Cucina Povera class features egg- and dairy-free pasta
💰 £15
⌚ 1 hour
Classes at Pasta Evangelists
Seafood Special
Cucina Povera
Summer Herbs
6. Food At 52
Best for… learning how to flavour and colour pasta
Plain pasta can be enhanced in all kinds of different ways. This Authentic Italian Pasta Masterclass will show you not just how to make and shape the perfect pasta dough, but also how to colour and flavour pasta, make sauces and prepare a huge variety of dishes. Plus, you’ll also learn how to make an Italian dessert to round everything off!
Enjoy your creations with bottomless red and white wine (or soft drinks, if you rather) at the huge oak banquet table.
📍 Islington
🌿 Vegetarian and pescatarian options, if you let them know in advance (no vegan option)
💰 £130 for half day, £150 for full day
⌚ 3.5 hours (half day) or 5 hours (full day)
Other classes at Food at 52
Classic Italian Cookery Class
7. Petersham Nurseries
Best for… a simple, local experience
Petersham Nurseries is a mixture of things: a garden centre, a gift shop and an antique dealership – as well as a restaurant hosting cooking workshops like this one.
Using eggs from Haye Farm (Petersham Nurseries’ sister business), you’ll learn how to make tagliatelle, ravioli and garganelli, plus a number of simple Italian sauces.
This particular class doesn’t involve dinner (you can eat what you make, but this will be a small portion) but you will get a discount code for the restaurant as well.
📍 Covent Garden
💰 £65
⌚ 1.5 hours
8. Cookery School At Little Portland Street
Best for… variety
Known as London’s most sustainable cookery school, Cookery School at Little Portland Street offers a pasta-making course that covers a huge amount of different dishes, including tagliatelle, gnocchi, ravioli and lasagne.
The class is on the pricey side at £210, but at 5 hours long you’re getting your money’s worth and will learn how to make 7 different dishes including an incredible butternut squash risotto and homemade pesto.
Afterwards, sit down and enjoy your pasta with a glass or two of organic wine.
📍 Marylebone
🌿 Specific dietary requirements can be catered for (tell them in advance)
💰 £210
⌚ 5 hours
Other classes at Cookery School at Little Portland Street
A Roman Spring
Taste of Sicily
9. The Avenue Cookery School
Best for… a pasta-making supper club
Just like with their sushi-making class and supper club, this course from The Avenue Cookery School combines a pasta-making workshop with a BYOB social dinner.
Learn how to make pasta dough using premium Clarence Court eggs, roll noodles and fill ravioli, as well as proper seasoning and presentation techniques. Afterwards, you’ll enjoy your pasta creations with the other students.
This class has been featured in The Times’ list of 20 best date night ideas, so you’ll know you’ll have a good time!
📍 Wandsworth
🌿 Vegetarian and vegan options on request
💰 £65.00
⌚ 2 hours
Other classes at The Avenue Cookery School
Homemade Spätzle (German Pasta)
10. La Cucina Caldesi
Best for… a step-by-step guide to the basics
This four hour Fresh Pasta For Novices class will show you how to mix the perfect dough before taking you through the process of making a range of fresh, regional pasta dishes including ravioli, lasagne and tagliatelle.
After the class, you’ll eat together with a complementary glass of wine or beer. You’ll also go home with your own apron and receive a digital copy of all of the recipes you tried, so you can recreate them at home.
📍 Marylebone
💰 £99
⌚ 4 hours
Other classes at La Cucina Caldesi
30 Minutes Italian menus
Cooking at Caldesi in Campagna, Fresh Pasta with seasonal sauces
Giancarlo’s Tuscan Dinner Party – Italian Regional Cookery
The Essential Italian
1 day Pasta workshop
The Caldesi Trattoria
Recipes from the Amalfi coast
Recipes From A Low-Carb Lifestyle
London Date Spots 