Gluten-Free Cooking Class in Como: what we can honestly offer

If you are coeliac or eat gluten-free and you are looking for a cooking class in Como, we will say it plainly and up front: we no longer run a dedicated gluten-free class. Our pasta masterclasses are built around hand-rolled wheat sfoglia and, although the line-up now includes a rice-based class, the Risotto Masterclass, we cannot certify any class as gluten-free. What we can do for you depends on the date — which is why we ask you to contact us before booking.

Why we no longer run a dedicated gluten-free class

Our pasta masterclasses are egg-sfoglia classes: wheat flour, the matterello, the discipline of Emilian pasta. It is a kitchen where wheat flour is worked every day, and flour travels — it lingers in the air and on surfaces. Lightly promising a safe environment for a coeliac guest would not be honest, and we would rather tell you here, before you book, than disappoint you at the bench.

Risotto and gnocchi: what we can honestly say

Two classes in the new line-up are worth talking about. The Risotto Masterclass is built on rice, and rice contains no gluten by nature, but we cannot certify any class as gluten-free: the broth, the sausage and the other ingredients are not certified. It comes in two versions: the Saffron Risotto, which is also vegetarian (€130), and the Luganega Risotto, the same risotto with luganega, the fresh pork sausage of Lombardy (€140); if you are coeliac, tell us which one you have in mind, so that the sausage is part of the assessment too. And potato gnocchi adapt well to gluten-free flour: the potato builds the structure, not the wheat. The essential point stands: wheat flour is worked in our kitchen every day, so for coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity the assessment has to be made together, date in hand — one more reason to write to us first.

Contact us before booking

Write to us via the request form or the contact details at the bottom of the home page, telling us:

the date you would like to join;
whether it is coeliac disease (a medical need) or a gluten-free preference — it makes a real difference to what we can suggest;
how many of you there are, and whether the rest of the party would take the standard class.

We will answer honestly: what is possible for that date, with which limits — or, if we cannot guarantee an adequate solution, we will say so clearly. No upfront payment, no commitment.

The right questions to ask (us, and any cooking class)

If you travel with coeliac disease, these are the questions worth asking any pasta class around Lake Como:

Is wheat flour worked in the same room, at the same time? Airborne flour is the main risk in a pasta class.
Are there separate utensils, boards and cooking water?
Are the aperitivo and dessert checked too, not just the pasta? With us the aperitivo is a board of cured meats and cheeses, and the dessert is gelato with 25-year-aged Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP.
Does the person cooking know the difference between “gluten-free” and safe for a coeliac?

A note on pizzoccheri

Many travellers look for Valtellina’s pizzoccheri as a “naturally gluten-free” dish because of the buckwheat. Be careful: the traditional recipe almost always includes a share of wheat flour as well. If you are coeliac, always ask before ordering or making them.

Eating gluten-free in Como

The good news: Italy is one of the best-prepared countries in the world when it comes to coeliac disease. In Como many restaurants are well used to coeliac guests, and the Italian Coeliac Association (AiC) keeps a list of vetted venues. The phrase “senza glutine” is understood everywhere, and several gelaterias label which flavours are safe.

You might also consider

How our cooking class works — what to expect in a session, from booking to the final meal
Hand-rolled vs machine pasta — why our class is built around hand-rolled wheat sfoglia