Cooking Classes with Rustico Cooking Video Membership

Since 2004, we've been taking groups to Italy on culinary tours and hosting cooking classes and private cooking events in NYC. In 2020, we launched our membership-based video cooking site for lovers of Italian food.

When you buy a 1-year subscription, you gain unlimited access to our huge collection of 150+ video recipes, eBooks, and articles on techniques and ingredients of the Italian kitchen, so that you can learn whenever it suits your schedule, in the comfort of your kitchen, and at your own pace.

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Membership Benefits

  • One year access to every video lesson
  • Access to all premium site material: recipe pdfs, support materials, in-depth articles about Italian ingredients and techniques, and much more...
  • Five eBooks, including The Best Pasta Sauces Companion Booklet featuring 20 regional pasta sauces
  • Bookmark your favorite recipes
  • Jot down your own notes directly on each lesson (eg. "Make this for Lauren's birthday!")

Sampler Pack: Free Recipes from our video membership site

Below find a few recipes from our video membership site, including the video plus the pdf file of each recipe.

Using a Pasta Machine

Using a pasta machine to roll out fresh pasta into sheets is fun, easy, and satisfying. I prefer the old-fashioned hand-cranked models that clamp onto the kitchen counter to the fancy electric pasta rollers fitted onto electric mixers. I have had the Atlas 150 machine for 2 decades and heartily suggest it: it is sturdy, reliable, and compatible with so many pasta cutting attachments. Watch this video to learn to make fresh egg pasta dough from scratch, and select a pasta shape such as farfalle, trenette, maccheroni alla chitarra, or reginette and watch the accompanying video for each shape so you know how to shape and cut the dough.

See the step-by-step procedure on pdf taken from the our video membership site. You can find the printable PDF version of the recipe here

This is just one of the many offerings from our 150+ (and growing) video membership site.

When you are ready to plunge in for the full experience, or if you want to give it to a loved one, you can purchase a one year membership here:

Buy Membership Here

Veal Piccata with Lemons and Capers

Essential to the success of this dish is NOT using a non-stick pan. There is no way to build a deeply flavored sauce in a non-stick pan; you need some bits of meat and flour to stick a bit so that when the pan is deglazed with the wine, there is some deliciousness to pick up. A stainless steel pan works well. Get the pan good and hot before searing the veal on both sides, and if needed, swirl in a touch of extra butter when building the sauce to ensure a balanced, rich taste in the final dish. Note that there is no chicken or veal stock in this recipe, which makes for a very light, clean tasting pan sauce.

You can cook chicken cutlets or thin fish fillets such as tilapia or sole in the same way to great effect; the cooking time will be similar. See the recipe here, taken from our video membership site. You can find the printable PDF version of the recipe here

This is just one of the many offerings from our 150+ (and growing) video membership site.

When you are ready to plunge in for the full experience, or if you want to give it to a loved one, you can purchase a one year membership here:

Buy Membership Here

Braised Chicken with Lemony Chickpeas

This simple, hearty dish owes its exceptional flavor to two key steps: marinating the chicken for 24 hours with lemon, garlic, and herbs; and cooking the chickpeas with the rich juices exuded by the chicken. Leftovers can be easily transformed into a soup: just shred the chicken, crush half of the chickpeas with the back of a spoon, and add enough chicken stock to yield a soupy consistency.See the recipe here, taken from our video membership site. You can find the printable PDF version of the recipe here

This is just one of the many offerings from our 150+ (and growing) video membership site.

When you are ready to plunge in for the full experience, or if you want to give it to a loved one, you can purchase a one year membership here:

Buy Membership Here

Caramelized Brussels sprouts

The trick to these Brussels sprouts is to sear their cut edges on a blazing hot baking sheet; it mimics the heat generated by a hot skillet but without the fuss, and results in delicately browned, caramelized sprout bottoms. It’s important to tuck any stray leaves in the middle of the sprouts rather than leaving them on the perimeter, or they will burn.

Caraway seeds have long been used to relieve stomach bloating; they are often paired with members of the cabbage family (which many consider hard on the stomach) as a digestive aid. I add them to this dish because they complement the earthy flavor of the sprouts, but if they help in digestion too, that is an added bonus. See the recipe here, taken from our video membership site. You can find the printable PDF version of the recipe here

This is just one of the many offerings from our 150+ (and growing) video membership site.

When you are ready to plunge in for the full experience, or if you want to give it to a loved one, you can purchase a one year membership here:

Buy Membership Here

Red Wine and Caramelized Onion Soup with Cheese Crostoni

This hearty soup is a specialty of Piedmont, a favorite on winter tables when something hot and comforting is in order. You can substitute leeks or shallots for the red onions if you prefer a gentler taste; and of course, any melting cheese (such as Raclette or Comté) will work as well as the Fontina. You can pour the soup into ovenproof bowls and top with the bread and cheese to serve the soup French onion soup style; I prefer to keep the bread crispy until the last possible moment, so I top bowlfuls of the soup with the baked crostoni (basically oversized crostini) to prevent the bread from getting soggy in the soup.

To accentuate the flavor of red wine in the soup, you can brush the bread with some of the wine before topping with the cheese; note that this will bring in an additional note of acidity. See the recipe here, taken from our video membership site. You can find the printable PDF version of the recipe here

This is just one of the many offerings from our 150+ (and growing) video membership site.

When you are ready to plunge in for the full experience, or if you want to give it to a loved one, you can purchase a one year membership here:

Buy Membership Here

Piadina: An Italian Flatbread

Soft and floppy, with flavorful griddle marks, these piadine are made with olive oil rather than the more traditional lard; if the temperature on the skillet is just right, they puff up dramatically like a pita… quite an amazing sight! Piadine are perfect stuffed with savory cheeses and prosciutto, grilled vegetables, or shredded slow-cooked meats. See the recipe here, taken from our video membership site. You can find the printable PDF version of the recipe here

This is just one of the many offerings from our 150+ (and growing) video membership site.

When you are ready to plunge in for the full experience, or if you want to give it to a loved one, you can purchase a one year membership here:

Buy Membership Here

Black Forest Tiramisu (aka Cherrymisu)

The inspiration for this spoon dessert is Germany’s famed Black Forest Cake, which was my all-time favorite cake when I was growing up. Using store-bought ladyfingers instead of baking chocolate cake layers makes this a very doable dessert even in the heat of summer. The chocolate flavor is introduced via dark cocoa in the Mascarpone cream and a hefty dose of grated bittersweet chocolate. If you don’t have Kirsch, a lovely cherry liqueur, you can use cherry vodka or even rum.See the recipe here, taken from our video membership site. You can find the printable PDF version of the recipe here

This is just one of the many offerings from our 150+ (and growing) video membership site.

When you are ready to plunge in for the full experience, or if you want to give it to a loved one, you can purchase a one year membership here:

Buy Membership Here

More Free Recipes in each of our 4 culinary tour page

Watch 4 more FREE RECIPES just by visiting each of our 4 culinary tour pages. Each page features a regional video recipe. Click on the links below to access our culinary tour pages:

Liguria : Genovese Basil Pesto Tuscany: Panzanella Tuscan Bread Salad Puglia: Broccoli Raab and Sausage Sauce for Pasta Sicily: Sicilian Style Arctic Char

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About the Membership Content

Teaching people to cook for almost two decades at our NYC cooking school and in Italy has given us a unique understanding of what home cooks need to fully grasp a technique, a recipe, a way of cooking. It has also highlighted what mistakes most people make in the kitchen, which are the pitfalls of most easy-on-the-surface recipes for many home cooks, and why people often think cooking is more complicated than it really is.

We designed each of the videos in our online course with one goal: to share our best, tried-and-true, non-fussy recipes so that you can easily replicate them at home, with perfect results every time. Our recipes are the distillation of 20 years of teaching thousands of students Italian cuisine, and the result of even more years of traveling across Italy in search of memorable food.

We want to empower you to cook delicious Italian meals at home as often as possible, with as little fuss as possible, and with a good understanding of why certain things work and why others don’t. Italian food is inherently simple, and highlights good ingredients first and foremost. The recipes we’ll share with you reflect this philosophy.

We deconstruct each recipe so you can easily replicate it at home. We give you the tools you need to cook confidently and try new dishes, because our recipes have been developed with cooks like you in mind and have been tested literally thousands of times.

And we delve into what makes Italian cooking so rich and interesting--its regional nature--by focusing much of our content on specialties from Italy's twenty diverse regions.

Interacting with the Chef

If you've taken a class with us, you know we believe in an interactive learning environment.

In that same vein, our video membership site allows for plenty of interactivity between us: you can request recipes for future videos, share your progress with us, get troubleshooting help, and ask questions that we'll answer promptly to ensure your cooking success.

Cooking Classes: Videos Included in Membership

Appetizers

  • Crispy Polenta Fries with Calabrese Chili Dip
  • Crispy Risotto Balls
  • Crostini with Roasted Beet Mousse, Mascarpone, and Pomegranate
  • Crostini with Roasted Peppers, Mascarpone, and Basil
  • Crostini with Smoked Salmon, Mascarpone, and Cucumber
  • Mushroom and Cheese Puff Pies
  • Whipped Cod with Garlic and Parsley
  • Zucchini Blossom Scrolls in Brick Pastry

Pasta Sauces

  • Abruzzese Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
  • Amatriciana (Tomato, Guanciale, and Onion Sauce)
  • Arugula, Roasted Tomatoes, and Double Ricotta Sauce
  • Broccoli and Toasted Bread Crumb Sauce
  • Broccoli Raab and Sausage Sauce (Puglia and Beyond)
  • Burst Tomato and Spinach Sauce
  • Cacio e Pepe
  • Cheesy Pasta Gratin with Crispy Bread Crumbs, Spinach, and Onion
  • Classic Carbonara
  • Chunky-Creamy Butternut Squash Sauce with Sage
  • Chunky Mascarpone, Walnut, and Basil Sauce
  • Creamy Mushroom Sauce
  • Garlicky Sausage and Chopped Raab Sauce
  • Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
  • Lemon-Laced Tomato and Basil Sauce
  • Pesto alla Genovese (Liguria)
  • Porcini and Shallot Cream Sauce
  • Radicchio and Mascarpone Sauce
  • Roasted Mushroom, Asparagus, and Goat Cheese Sauce
  • Roasted Pepper, Olive, Tomato Sauce
  • Sausage, Cherry Tomato, and Three Cheese Sauce
  • Shrimp and Peas in Saffron Cream Sauce
  • Summery Ramp and Almond Pesto
  • Toasted Saffron, Pea, and Cream Sauce
  • Tomato Cream Sauce with Artichokes and Peas
  • Tuna Puttanesca Sauce
  • Zucchini and Tomato Sauce with Summer Herbs
  • Wine-Laced Ragù

Pasta Dishes

  • Baked Pasta with Wilted Cabbage, Caramelized Onions, and Fontina
  • Beet Pasta Dough
  • Canederli (aka Bread Gnocchi)
  • Cavatelli
  • Chive-Scented Ricotta Gnocchi in Caraway-Sage Butter
  • Egg Pasta Dough
  • Farfalle (Bowties)
  • Foolproof Potato Gnocchi
  • Handmade Trofie
  • Light as Air Ricotta Gnocchi
  • Maccheroni alla Chitarra
  • Pinciarelli
  • Reginette
  • Spaetzle with Swiss Chard and Ricotta
  • Squash Gnocchi
  • Trenette
  • Trofie with Basil Pesto, Haricots Verts, and Potatoes
  • Whole Wheat Potato Gnocchi with Basil-Scented Tomato Sauce

Soup

Risotto

  • Crispy Pan-Fried Risotto
  • Red Wine and Roasted Beet Risotto
  • Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Sage
  • Roasted Shiitake Mushroom Risotto

Polenta

  • Classic Polenta
  • Polenta Coins with Melted Cheese and Silky Spinach

Meat, Fish, Eggs

  • Arctic Char Sicilian-Style with Capers, Raisins, and Olives (Sicily & Beyond)
  • Braised Cannellini Beans with Sausage and Greens
  • Braised Chicken with Lemony Chickpeas
  • Branzino in Artichoke-Olive Sauce
  • Branzino in Crazy Water
  • Branzino with Sweet Pepper and Scallion Stuffing in Herb Oil
  • Broccoli Raab and Parmigiano Bread Pudding
  • Chicken Bundles with Cheese, Mushrooms, and Sage
  • Chicken Cacciatora with Tomatoes and Rosemary
  • Chicken Thighs in Balsamic-Honey Glaze
  • Crispy Skin Branzino with Velvety Chickpea Sauce
  • Drunken Chicken with Fennel
  • Fish in Parchment Paper with Tomatoes & Herbs
  • Ligurian-Style Chicken with Artichokes and Olives
  • Ricotta Gnocchi Puff
  • Shrimp, Tomato, and Olive Salad over Arugula
  • Slow-Cooked Oxtail Roman-Style (Coda alla Vaccinara)
  • ​Slow-Roasted Salmon over Fennel
  • Smoked Pork Chops with Apples in Wine Glaze
  • Veal Piccata with Lemon and Capers
  • Zucchini Blossom Bread Pudding
  • Wine-Poached Shrimp in Parsley Salsa Verde

Vegetables

  • Apple and Avocado Salad with Pecans in Dijon Dressing
  • Beet Greens Salad with Lemon Oil Dressing
  • Beet Stem Gratin with Besciamella and Parmigiano
  • Braised Chickpeas with Spinach and Tomatoes
  • Broccoli, Cashew, and Cranberry Salad with Crumbled Feta
  • Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
  • Cauliflower Gratin with Smoked Mozzarella and Bacon
  • Fennel, Sweet Pepper, and Herb Salad
  • Hearts of Palm Salad with Garlicky Mustard Dressing
  • Pan-Seared Asparagus with Lemon Zest
  • Roasted Beets
  • Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Chili
  • Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage and Parmigiano (Bonus: Making Squash Medallions)
  • Roasted Eggplant Planks with Tomatoes and Basil
  • Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini, and Peppers with Ricotta Salata in Minty Dressing
  • Roasted Fennel with Parmigiano
  • Roasted Green Tomatoes with Herbed Panko
  • Roasted Peppers
  • Roasted Tomatoes with Herbed Ricotta
  • Roasted String Beans with Sundried Tomatoes and Thyme
  • Sautéed Spinach with Garlic and Hot Chili
  • Shaved Fennel, Walnut, and Parmigiano Salad in Radicchio Cups
  • Smashed Red Baby Potatoes with Chives and Smoked Paprika
  • Spicy Melon Salad with Basil
  • Panzanella - Tuscan Bread, Tomato, and Basil Salad (Tuscany and Beyond)
  • Watermelon, Feta, and Arugula Salad with Mint and Olives
  • Zucchini Stuffed with Crunchy Walnuts, Cheese and Herbs
  • Zucchini Stuffed with Herbed Ricotta Mousse and Crispy Bread Crumbs

Pizza, Flatbreads, Breads

  • Baked Cheesy Puff with Sourdough Discard
  • Farinata (Ligurian Chickpea Flour Pancake)
  • Grilled Flatbread
  • Panfried Bread with Mascarpone and Spinach
  • Piadina
  • Pizza Dough - Sourdough
  • Pizza Dough - Yeasted
  • Tomato, Olive, and Rosemary Focaccia

Dessert

  • Almond-Vanilla Crescents
  • Amaretto-Chocolate Cheesecake with Brown Sugar and Almond Crust
  • Amaretto and Chocolate Semifreddo
  • Apple and Almond Paste Puff Pie
  • Baked Vanilla-Scented Custard with Chocolate Chunks
  • Black Forest Tiramisu (aka Cherrymisu)
  • Cannoli Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis
  • Carrot Walnut Cake
  • Citrus Explosion Cheesecake
  • Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding with Orange and Rum Custard
  • Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
  • Cinnamon Puff Cookies
  • Crushed Berry and Limoncello Mousse
  • Decadent Marzipan Cake with Chocolate Glaze
  • Double Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
  • Flourless Chocolate Almond Torte
  • Lemon-Scented Bread Pudding with Rum-Soaked Raisins
  • Marsala-Poached Dried Fruit over Mascarpone Mousse
  • Molten Chocolate Cake with Fresh Whipped Cream
  • Mom's Chocolate-Almond Macaroon Cake
  • Orange-Scented Chocolate Custard
  • Red Wine, Black Pepper, and Olive Oil Biscotti
  • Ricotta Chocolate Mousse with Crushed Amaretto
  • Spiced Fig and Walnut Biscotti
  • Sweet Anise, Wine, and Olive Oil Taralli
  • Tiramisu
  • Torta Putana (aka Rum-Raisin Bread Pudding Cake)
  • Vanilla Panna Cotta with Berry Coulis

Basic Techniques

  • Egg Pasta Dough
  • Using a Pasta Machine
  • My Favorite Marinade for Chicken
  • Besciamella (Bechamel)
  • Using a Kitchen Scale
  • Stabilizing a Cutting Board
  • Mincing Garlic
  • Mincing Onions
  • Cubing Peppers
  • Cubing Eggplants
  • Cubing Onions
  • Cubing Zucchini
  • Fennel: Trimming and Cutting
  • Chopping Sage
  • Chopping Rosemary
  • Trimming and Cooking Beet Roots Stems and Leaves
  • Trimming, Cubing, and Preparing Butternut Squash
  • Skinning a Fish Filet
  • Why You Shouldn't Measure by Volume
  • Freezing Wine

eBooks included with membership

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. I have a gift certificate from a long time ago, can I use it?
  2. What is the difference between the free trial membership and the paid membership?
  3. Where do I go to get my free trial membership?
  4. I have purchased a membership and plan to give it as a gift - how do I gift it?
  5. How do I activate my membership?
  6. Does the 1 year membership renew automatically?

  1. I have a gift certificate from a long time ago, can I use it?

    2. That depends on when the certificate was purchased. We will need to locate your gift certificate in our database using the name of the person or organization who purchased it for you. Details are here. Note that promotional, bonus offers or rebates on the membership apply to new purchases only.

  2. What is the difference between the free trial and the video membership?

    3. The free trial membership contains only 3 recipes from the video membership, so you can have a glimpse of the contents. The video membership has over 150 video recipes. The video membership also includes recipe eBooks as well as exclusive articles on various aspects of Italian cuisine. The video membership also includes special offers and discounts for members only.

  3. Where do I go to get my free trial membership?

    4. Login to our portal here and use the username and password that you selected to access the free trial membership.

    Free trial membership

  4. I have purchased a membership and plan to give it as a gift - how do I gift it?

    5. Please email us at micol@rusticocooking.com with details; we can email a personalized gift certificate for the recipient if you request it, or simply email the recipient login instructions if you prefer.

  5. How do I activate my membership?

    6. Check your email for login instructions shortly after your purchase (the email may be in your spam folder). Then click here.

    Activate my membership

  6. Does the 1 year membership renew automatically?

    7. The membership is not set up for automatic renewal, but we will send you a reminder a month before expiration date.