Kids and Homemade Pasta

It was ten years ago that Michelle Peters called me from Sweetwater Center for the Arts in Sewickley, PA asking if I would teach cooking to kids for a summer camp program. As an employment opportunity, teaching kids was something that had never entered the realm of my consciousness. And teaching kids in a room full of knives and fire was something that had probably never entered anyone's consciousness. But, hey, I'm a thrill seeker and a glutton for punishment so why the hell not?As it turned out, I'm actually pretty good at teaching. And if I'm honest, I have to admit that I even enjoy it.

My favorite day of camp is always pasta day. Each year I teach a different shape of pasta paired with an appropriate sauce. The kids and I make pasta  by hand, on a table and flatten the dough with a rolling pin. It's hard work. But the kids can easily memorize and later repeat the recipe at home if they have a parent willing to clean up one hell of a mess. Pasta day typically ends with 12-14 kids and I covered in flour, fairly exhausted and stuffed full of delicious, homemade pasta. The effort plus the somewhat instant gratification equals happy, confident kids, if only for a few hours.

PASTA DOUGH

1 1/4 Cups Flour

2 large eggs

pinch of salt

Depending on what pasta shape you choose, this recipe will make 2-4 servings of cooked pasta. 

Here are photos from a recent class. The kids learned some knife skills and food safety and made wholewheat pasta, turkey meatballs and fresh tomato-basil sauce.

See more photos here!