Hands-On Pizza Workshop

Mark Bello and his co-instructor Jenny are friendy, informative, and very enthusiastic about their craft. I have been making good thin-crust pizzas at home for years but still found useful techniques in this class, notably: methods for setting up dough in order to prevent weaknesses (or internal 'fault lines') when stretching it out later, a reliable technique for pulling the dough to proper thinness, and better ways of ways of using a wooden pizza peel to promote release into the oven. Beyond the useful dough techniques, Mark provided interesting and high-quality ingredients for making our own pies during class. He started with suggested pie make-ups: mainstays like margherita, bianca, along with pies such as Grayson cheese/honey/truffle oil, onion/egg/fried sage/black pepper, banana/Nutella, and potato/rosemary, and a half-dozen others -- all of which we were free to experiment with. The dairy ingredients such as Grayson, Alleva mozzarella/ricotta/smoked mozzarella, and Evans butter were locally sourced but he gave alternatives and suggestions for locating most ingredients for students in the class who were non-local. Print materials provided to take home were detailed and comprehensive enough to review the steps from class and make your own pies later. In class there was ample time, dough, and toppings to make several pies of your own choice using the thin-crust dough recipe we each made during the start of the class session. If I had to find any slight fault in the class it would be that the 525F degree ovens used in the class do not offer the same experience as a brutally hot wood/coal oven, lacking some smokiness and complexity of taste that are lost in a lower-temperature gas stove. But Mark's techniques are very good, very reliable, and may be just as good as you can physically get in a 525F oven -- and the results are probably better than what you would find in the vast majority of NYC pizza places using gas ovens. I look forward to trying Mark's dough and techniques in a hotter oven. I would recommend this class for either a complete beginner or even an experienced pizzaiolo/pizzaiola who is looking for a few refinements or tips (or see how good your pizza can be in a home oven).

This was an excellent class!

Great class to take if you're a pizza lover. Who knew making dough could be so easy? Mark is so knowlegable and FUNNY and his recipes for different types of pies are the best. My husband said my pizza's were the best he's ever had! Thanks Mark and Jen for a fabulous and fun evening!

Incredibly knowledgable, enthusiastic, dedicated instructors with time-tested methods Most importantly, they took all the mystery and confusion out of the pizza making process. They really broke it down to the basic steps, made each step very intuitive and took the fear out of dealing with yeast. They articualtely explained why things are done a certain way at each stage and they offered the best practice for each step - even down to the best (and easiest) way to roll out the pizza dough. I would hands down recommend this to anyone, the novice and the experienced baker alike. Great, great class. One of the most worthwile cooking classes I've taken in the city. I hope they soon offer more beyond pizza.

The class was great and a lot of fun, and the takeaway is valuable. My sister and I grilled pizzas the same weekend using dough -- and know how -- from the class.

I highly recommend this class for anyone that loves pizza and wants to learn how to make it at home in a low stress and fun manner. The class is so enjoyable, the pizza is delicious and Mark gives you the information that you need to take your new skills home with you and share with your friends.

Mark (and Jenny) were amazing!!! The class was so much fun! Mark has a very natural way of sharing his stories and spreading his knowledge and love of pizza making and food in general. From start to finish the class was very well run and organized. I learned so much! And I really do think that after this course, I can make delicious pizzas at home! I loved the class so much, I want to take it again! And I definitely will recommend it to friends!

I would recommend a class at Pizza a Casa to ANYONE and EVERYONE! Mark was SO wonderful- funny, insightful, helpful, encouraging, and welcoming! This class is totally worth the money. You eat SO MUCH that you are stuffed and make enough dough for four pizzas each! The ingredients are to die for! The environment is warm and welcoming- you feel as if you are in Mark's own home. Mark provides you with not only the recipes but with a detailed pamphlet of Do's and Don'ts. This experience WELL exceded my expectations- I cannot wait to make my own pizzas at home!!

We am always looking for a new, fun food adventure. When we enrolled for this four hour class we thought "hmmm" ...four hours ( too long??) and a bit pricey. ....Sure hope it is worth it. Well, let us tell you...we had a total blast and it was worth every dollar. This is a unique and invigorating experience - great music and there is more than enough pizza ( made with high quality ingredients) to eat during class than you'd ever want to consume in one sitting. Mark is engaging and very accomodating. We can't wait to use our newly found "expert pizza skills" and amaze everyone this football season with fresh, gourment pizzas.

I highly recommend taking this workshop! It was something different to do and was so much fun! My husband and I learned so much and we can't say enough good things about it. Mark was so passionate and a great teacher. You will gain skills that you will use for the rest of your life. We couldn't believe the difference in the pizzas that were coming out of our oven after this class! We can't wait to try out different toppings and enjoy with our family and friends!