We’re all going a little stir crazy right now. Athlete’s seasons are cut short, seniors are thrust suddenly into their post college anxieties, and as we return to the places we were before campus, we face an onslaught of new challenges. Not all of us are keen to return home, goodbyes and potentially even graduation ceremonies have been stripped away, all while we fret for our loved ones amid a time of uncertainty and attempt to remain informed while maintaining our sanity and senses of self in the swirling current of information that is as necessary as it is utterly overwhelming.

Normally, I’d be reviewing a restaurant in the Harrisonburg area, but most of them are limiting service if not closing to the public entirely. I would share an easy recipe, but with grocery stores in a state of uncertainty in the form of empty shelves and anxiety in the suggested six-foot distances between shoppers, who knows what you have on hand? This is what I’ve come up with: two recipes you may not have tried before, and some suggestions for customizing those with whatever ingredients are accessible to you. 

Bread and pasta. Could there be a more comforting culinary staple? With the world going crazy around us and a new (and somewhat unwelcome) abundance of time on our hands, there’s no better time than now to learn something new. It sounds intimidating, but they’re actually some of the simplest foods you can make, and come together in a flash with ingredients you no doubt already have in your pantry. 

Sauces may range from olive oil seasoned with red pepper flakes, garlic and onion powder and salt and pepper, or a classic marinara. Go nuts. Experiment with seasoning and sauces; you’ve got the time.

Process:

This recipe for homemade pasta will change your life; simply combine the ingredients to form a shaggy dough, turn that dough onto a clean, well-floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Tightly cover your dough in plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature for at least thirty minutes. After that time is up, roll out your dough and cut as desired. I recommend rolling to about ⅛ of an inch thick. When you’ve formed your ravioli, spaghetti, lasagna, or whichever kind of noodle you prefer, simply boil in 6 quarts of lightly salted water for 1-3 minutes, and dig in. 

Process: 

This bread recipe takes a little more time to get going, but once you’ve completed the dough it will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, and best of all, there’s absolutely no kneading required. Whenever you want a loaf of fresh bread within that time frame, simply tear off your desired loaf size from the dough and follow the rest of the baking instructions. 

If you want to add cheese or seasonings to your bread, I suggest about 6 tablespoons of your preferred herbs, and no more than one cup of shredded cheese. The herbs should be added to the initial wet mixture, the cheese must wait until the dough has risen for two hours before being carefully stirred in. Try not to knock out too much of the air bubbles you’ve built up during rising. 

Combine the water, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl; don’t worry about letting the yeast activate. Add the flour all at once and stir until no dry patches remain and you have a wet, bubbly dough. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it sit for two hours. When I made this on a 75 degree day it nearly tripled in size, but don’t worry if it doesn’t change too much in appearance. 

With floured hands, tear a chunk of dough from the rest, about one pound’s worth, and shape into a neat, round loaf. Rotating the loaf, stretch the edges and tuck them underneath the ball as you go. It will still be sticky, so it should hold together; don’t fret if the underside is ugly, mine was too. 

To bake your loaf, set your oven to 400 degrees. Place either a pizza stone or upside-down cast iron skillet on the middle rack and a baking sheet on the wrack below. Let the stone/skillet heat up for at least 40 minutes. 

Plop your lovely little dough ball onto a sheet of parchment paper (not to be confused with wax paper, which will melt in your oven, similar as they may outwardly appear) and gently transfer that onto your stone/skillet. In the baking tray below, carefully pour one cup of water and quickly close the oven. This will ensure a crispy exterior. In 35 minutes or when your loaf is a rich and golden brown, you’ve done it, you aspiring baker, you. 

If you want it to look really professional, take a serrated knife and make three diagonal slashes across the dough’s surface before baking.