Introducing: Tales of the Roots Class Series

In far-flung corners of the world, oceans away from Italy, it's not uncommon for travelers to find themselves in a "Little Italy" neighborhood or to stumble across a trattoria owned by a multi-generational Italian immigrant family. When millions of Italians left their home country as part of the Great Emigration in the late 19th century, they took with them their history — and recipes — to adapt in a new land.

A series of events and classes

This June, Eataly has partnered with the magazine La Cucina Italiana and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to host a series of events and hands-on classes. They celebrate some of the best-known dishes that have roots in Italy and have been reimagined in new countries. The program supports the ongoing bid for Italian cuisine to be recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Element.

Spaghetti & meatballs and chicken parmesan

In North America, two of those dishes are spaghetti & meatballs and chicken parmesan — perfect examples of recipes that resulted from the blending of cultures, ingredients and tastes. In these hands-on classes, at-home chefs can learn about the origins of these dishes and how to prepare them at home before, of course, tasting them both.