South Tyrolean Cooking Class in Eggental at the Kronlechnerhof
In the heart of South Tyrol, at the charming Kronlechnerhof farm in Nova Levante, I had the chance to learn how to make traditional canederli from the best teacher possible! This Tyrolean Cooking Class was all about using fresh, local ingredients, embracing ancient traditions, and having an amazing time in the kitchen.
Taking a Cooking Class while traveling has always been on my bucket list, and finally, in South Tyrol, I was able to check it off! A hands-on culinary experience is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in a new culture, get familiar with local ingredients, pick up some expert tricks, and connect with the people in a truly meaningful way. And let’s be honest—it’s also the most authentic meal you’ll have during your trip!
While visiting Eggental, I had the opportunity to take part in a Cooking School session at Kronlechnerhof, a traditional farm run by the wonderful Anna-Maria.
Anna-Maria is an absolute legend! She takes care of her vegetable garden and greenhouse, looks after cows, calves, pigs, and chickens, manages two guest apartments for travelers, and once a week, she hosts a Tyrolean Cooking Class to share her passion with anyone eager to learn.
I knew I would love this experience, but I never imagined it would be one of the most fun, educational, and engaging activities to do in South Tyrol!
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Tyrolean Cooking Class at Kronlechnerhof
That day, I was the only student in the class, making it an even more personal and immersive experience. Anna-Maria welcomed me in the farmyard, with the breathtaking backdrop of the Catinaccio mountain range setting the scene.
After a short introduction to the farm and its daily life (plus a quick hello to the cows in the barn), we grabbed a wicker basket and headed to the vegetable garden. It was bursting with fresh herbs and greens: chervil, radicchio, nasturtium, baby spinach, arugula, delicate lettuce leaves, radishes, garlic, and even some salad varieties I had never seen before! We happily filled our basket with an assortment of greens, some edible flowers, chives, and garlic grass—everything we needed for our upcoming recipes.
Kronlechnerhof’s vegetable garden is so rich in variety that many restaurants and hotels in the area source their ingredients right from here!
The Menu: Canederli (Typical Dumplings), Salad, and Krapfen
Once we gathered our ingredients, it was time to step into the kitchen and start cooking!
Inside the Farmhouse Kitchen
Anna-Maria’s kitchen was both cozy and state-of-the-art. It had everything from modern induction cooktops and high-tech ovens to traditional kitchen tools. One item that particularly caught my eye was the rustic bread slicer—something I had never seen before!
Next to a large window sat an impressive collection of cookbooks, while another window overlooked the barn. A massive wooden dining table was already set, complete with floral decorations on the plates and a jug of mint and lavender-infused water. Every little detail made the atmosphere feel warm and inviting.
The cooking station was fully prepped, so all I had to do was tie on my apron, wash my hands, and get started!
Making Canederli (Typical Dumplings)
Anna-Maria wasted no time in putting me to work! My first task? Chopping fresh chives. Despite the super-sharp knife, I managed just fine!
Next, we melted some farm-fresh butter (made from her own cows’ milk) and sautéed the chives. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, we combined over a liter of milk (also from her cows) with 10 whole eggs, blending them together with an immersion blender.
We prepared three different types of dumplings, each with its own unique flavor and color:
Mallow Canederli – Vibrant green, Speck & Cheese Canederli – Classic and rich, Beetroot Canederli – Striking pink
We also sautéed diced onions and speck in the butter. The mallow and beetroot pastes had been prepped earlier—each made by blending the ingredient with a little water and salt to create beautifully colored purées.
Now it was time to mix everything with stale bread cubes.
Step-by-Step Canederli Recipe
We divided the egg-milk mixture and melted butter evenly into three bowls of bread. Each bowl has its unique seasoning: one with mallow paste, one with speck and cheese, and one with beetroot purée. Mixing the dough took some effort, but it gave me a great chance to chat with Anna-Maria about life, traditions, and—of course—food!
Finally, we shaped the canederli. At first, I made them too small, more like meatballs, but Anna-Maria quickly corrected me—they’re supposed to be bigger!
We ended up with nearly two trays of beautifully colored canederli! We steamed them in the oven at 100°C for 20 minutes.
Alternatively, they can be cooked in a steaming basket over boiling water, covered, for the same amount of time.
At the end of 20 minutes, we baked our steamed dumplings. We served 6 of them on a serving platter, garnished with parmesan cheese.
I guess we cooked too much! But who eats all these? 
Traditional Krapfen
Unlike the creamy-filled doughnuts commonly found in cafes, Tyrolean Krapfen are simple, fried pastries filled with jam.
The dough was already prepped, made from:
1 kg flour
500 ml milk
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp schnapps
200 g butter
2 egg yolks
We divided and rolled out the dough using a pasta machine. My job was to flatten it, while Anna-Maria added the jam filling and cut them into their final shape using a decorative pastry cutter.
The Krapfen were then deep-fried in a pan of hot walnut oil until perfectly golden.
Finally, Time to Eat!
With everything ready, we dressed our vibrant salad, plated up the canederli (typical Dumplings), and sat down to enjoy the meal.
The flavors were incredible! The veggie-based canederli (mallow green and beetroot pink) were delicate and fresh, while the speck and cheese ones were robust and hearty—definitely my favorite!
The salad was colorful, crisp, and packed with contrasting flavors—some leaves were bitter, others spicy, and the edible flowers added the perfect finishing touch.
For dessert, we had the freshly fried Krapfen, still warm and crispy, with a delicious jam filling. Absolutely heavenly!
Before I left, Anna-Maria surprised me with a whole tray of Krapfen to take home, along with a bottle of her homemade vinegar and a jar of artisanal honey.
A Truly Authentic Experience
Cooking side by side with Anna-Maria gave me an intimate glimpse into Tyrolean culture. Since I was the only student that day, we got to chat about everything, and I left feeling like I had truly connected with her and her traditions.
The Tyrolean Cooking Class at Kronlechnerhof was an unforgettable experience in Eggental. Inspired by everything I learned, I couldn’t wait to try these recipes at home!
For more information about Cooking School experiences in Eggental, click here.
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Invited by Tourist Board of Val d’Ega Eggental.com
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