Pandola

The Rev. Oreste Pandola Adult Learning Center is a community program in Baltimore's historic Little Italy, celebrating its 28th year. Sessions are held at St. Leo's School on Stiles Street. Cooking is one part of a wider mix of classes that also includes things like a Paint Your Pets class.

The food side leans firmly Italian. A recent Homemade Gnocchi session with resident chef Mark Orendorff covered making the dough and rolling it out, and ran 90 minutes on a Saturday morning for a $25 fee. Past courses include a Bruschetta class and a Sicilian Pasta Dishes course with Chef Nino Germano of La Scala restaurant and Rosalie Ranieri. A special class called Flavors of Little Italy has also been offered.

This suits locals who want an affordable, neighborhood way to learn Italian family dishes. Courses are announced by season, so call 410-866-8494 or email the center to check what's coming up. It holds a 5-star Google rating from a single review.