Slow cooking school

22/08/2026

She came for a cooking class. She left as head chef. 👩🏻‍🍳🇮🇹

Stella’s lasagna rules:

1. Pick flowers from the garden.
2. Ignore Mom’s recipe.
3. Add whatever you want.
4. Accept compliments.

Would your kids follow the recipe—or take over the kitchen? 😂👇

Come cook with us in Umbria.

28/07/2026

I wasn’t planning a big celebration.

I just wanted an evening with the people who have been part of my life through so many chapters. Somehow, that simple idea turned into one of those nights I’ll always carry with me.

There was homemade pizza coming out of the oven one after another, music filling the courtyard, children running everywhere, friends who hadn’t seen each other for years laughing like no time had passed, guitars appearing out of nowhere, spontaneous singing, dancing under the summer lights, and conversations that lasted until late into the night.

Looking through these photos now, I realize they don’t just capture a birthday. They capture what really matters.

The people who show up.
The hugs.
The smiles.
The friendships that keep growing over the years.
The joy of sharing a table together.

To everyone who came, thank you for making this celebration so full of love and unforgettable moments.

10/07/2026

I didn’t know Rachel before yesterday. 🤍

Then I arrived at her wedding villa with pasta tools, our olive oil and a little Italian chaos… and a few hours later, it felt like cooking with old friends. 🇮🇹🍝

Thank you Simonetta for bringing us into this beautiful pre-wedding story.



And today? Rachel is getting married. 🥂✨

Rachel, may married life always have this much laughter, love… and pasta. 🤍

10/06/2026

A few months ago, a television crew arrived at Il Fontanaro to film an episode of Fork in the Road – World Kitchen, a new series airing on EWTN.

Like many parents, they were wondering the same thing: in a world of screens, schedules, and endless distractions, what do children really remember from a family vacation?

The answer turned out to be surprisingly simple.

Not the hotel room.
Not the Wi-Fi.
Not even the swimming pool.

They remembered making pasta.

Watching these children cook reminded me why I love what we do.

Food has a way of bringing families together. No phones. No rush. Just conversation, laughter, and a table shared with people you love.

This is the Italy I grew up with and the Italy we try to share every day at Il Fontanaro..

Thank you to .show team and EWTN for capturing these moments so beautifully and sharing Paciano, Umbria, and our Slow Cooking School with viewers around the world.

And thank you

And to all the families who have joined our cooking classes over the years: thank you for trusting us with a small piece of your Italian adventure. ❤️

Who knows… perhaps one day your children won’t remember the flight or the itinerary, but they’ll remember the day they learned to make pasta in Umbria.

📺 Watch us in Episode 2 of Fork in the Road – World Kitchen on

03/06/2026

We are thrilled to share some exciting news!

Our Slow Cooking School and the beautiful village of Paciano are featured in Episode 2 of the new EWTN travel and food series, Fork in the Road – World Kitchen: “Paciano – Where Slow Travel Becomes a Way of Life.” 🎬🍝🌿

In this episode, three young travelers discover the heart of Italy through authentic food, local traditions, and the simple beauty of slow living. We are honored to share our passion for homemade pasta, organic ingredients, and the timeless culture of Umbria with viewers from around the world.

For us, cooking has always been much more than preparing a meal. It is about gathering around a table, sharing stories, preserving traditions, and creating memories that last a lifetime.

A heartfelt thank you to the wonderful production team and to everyone who helps keep these traditions alive every day.

If you’ve ever joined one of our cooking classes, wandered through the medieval streets of Paciano, or simply dreamed of experiencing authentic Italy, this episode is for you. ❤️

📺 Watch Episode 2 and discover why Paciano is a place where slow travel truly becomes a way of life.



https://www.ewtn.com/programs/10139-fork-in-the-road-world-kitchen?from=ewtnplus

Stopping at their home away from home, Umbria, the family helps pave the medieval streets with flowers for Corpus Christi and makes a lasagna even the skeptics can’t resist.

24/04/2026

There’s something beautiful happening here… and it’s not just about cooking. 🤍

It’s about friendships that don’t speak the same language at first — but somehow understand each other perfectly.

My daughter and, when possible, also my niece grow up meeting people from all over the world. They learn English not in a classroom, but with flour on their hands, laughing, playing, and sharing moments like these.

And at the same time, other children arrive here and discover Italian the same way — naturally, joyfully, through connection.

No pressure. No rules. Just real life.

This is what I feel truly grateful for…
To see them grow open, curious, and connected to the world — right here at home.

Because sometimes the most important things we learn…
don’t come from books, but from people. 🌍✨

italianexperience

03/04/2026

Not everything starts with a plan…
some things start with simplicity 🤍

These are pieces of my childhood.
Il Fontanaro in the 80s.

No design project.
Just land, hands, and a family building something together.

A home slowly coming to life…
walls being built…
days spent outside…

And yes — in one of these photos, that’s me,
making tomatoes with my hands 🍅

We used to sing:
🎶 “C’era una casa molto carina, senza soffitto, senza cucina…”

And somehow…
that little house without a roof, without a kitchen,
became everything.

The place where today we cook,
where we welcome people from all over the world,
where the old horse stable turned into our cooking school.

I grew up with this spirit —
simple, real, imperfect…

And even today, with all the new projects,
that is still where everything begins.

FamilyRoots AuthenticItaly FarmLife FromPastToPresen

26/03/2026

Wine, flour, time.

A dough made by hand,
colored and shaped by tradition.

Each gesture is simple,
but nothing is rushed.

Seasonal ingredients,
honest flavors,
a table to share.

This is how we cook.

18/03/2026

✨ Have you ever tasted the difference between ancient and modern wheat?

Most people haven’t… until they come here.

In our Ancient Grains Pasta Experience, we go back to the roots of Italian cooking—working with traditional flours like Senatore Cappelli, Verna and spelt.

You’ll touch them, smell them, and turn them into fresh handmade pasta… just like we’ve done for generations.

And then something surprising happens:
you taste the difference. And you feel it too.

🍝 Hands-on pasta making
🌾 Ancient Tuscan & Umbrian grains
🍷 A truly authentic Italian experience