She's 11 and she's already taught herself how to boil an egg (a damn good soft-boiled one at that) and cook rice. I started teaching myself how to cook when I was 14 and I'm doing a commercial cooking program in post-secondary, so I've already been teaching her knife skills and some basic stuff but I haven't had many chances to actually cook with her due to living a couple hours away. I'll be home a bunch over the next month, so that's prime time to show her a few dishes.
I have a couple of ideas, like fried rice and a couple different kinds of soup, but I also want to demonstrate just how creative she can get with cooking and introduce her to food she might not otherwise try. The recipes will have to be relatively easy so I don't overload her, but I want her to have fun too! I'm willing to go out and pick up ingredients specifically for this.
I've had good luck with all kinds of pasta, just keep adding pasta water and cooking down if it's not starchy enough. Eventually it will nicely incorporate and turn a nice sticky emulsion rather than oily. Worst case, it ends up a little salty.
Though I haven't tried it, I wonder if one could just toss in some flour at the beginning of boiling to get starchier/easier water. It's also tasty even when it's an oily mess, just not amazing.
PS :im-vegan: so didn't recommend cacio e pepe.
Oh completely agree, very tasty even as an oily mess. I just felt something like cacio e Pepe is a little more consistent and ends up feeling more like an accomplishment.
That’s A really cool idea, a little semolina in the pasta water could probably help fudge the effect of fresh pasta water. I’ll try that someday!
I’m actually Vegan too lol, there are some really good Vegan Parmesans where I am so I completely forgot that Cacio E Pepe is not a vegan dish. If the alternative is actual cheese then do Aglio E Oglio OP. Cheese is highly addictive and you don’t want em hooked young!
Ha, nice! I forgot that vegan parm existed! Gonna make a cacio e pepe soon, yusssss.
I think I'm gonna try the semolina-in-da-water trick today or tomorrow! Hope I remember and check back in with the results.
Can confirm that putting a little semolina works great! I added maybe a pinch total? Only needed about two teaspoons of pasta water, turned out perf
o7 glad you’re having delicious pasta comrade