As many of us hunker down in our homes, doing our parts to help prevent the spread of a global pandemic, I’ve been thinking a lot about sustainability and how valuable it can be to know how to make (from the ground up) what you consume. Apart from the economic and nutritional benefits, there is something wildly satisfying about baking your own bread, making your own pasta, and growing your own vegetables. With a few simple ingredients, most of which you likely already have on hand in your home, it’s not all that hard to produce a lovely loaf of bread or a pound of fresh pasta.

While of course life doesn’t always afford you the time to make everything from scratch all the time, learning how to do so at least once is a valuable lesson. The extra hours spent inside your home during this time are prime for trying out new recipes, experimenting with what you have on hand, and learning how to make a host of fresh foods from scratch. Another plus side of making your own food is knowing exactly what goes into it — when you cook, you have control over which ingredients, in what amounts, go into your food. It can also give you a greater appreciation for what you make. It’s a lovely idea to be able to have a dinner of pasta you’ve made, cooked with vegetables and herbs you’ve grown.

Some of my favorite bread recipes of late are homemade crusty cranberry walnut bread, soft sweet honey oat bread, deliciously simple white loaf bread, warm and lovely smelling parker pretzel house rolls, and savory rosemary focaccia flatbread. For pasta, a great homemade pasta recipe is here, while some of my favorite variations of late are a simple but satisfying cacio e pepe (as pictured above), a flavorful orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe, a classic spaghetti carbonara, and a herby pasta with butter, sage, and parmesan. Any and all of these are great recipes for you to try while you have a little extra time at home — so happy cooking, stay safe, and be healthy!