Name: Creamy Secret Ingredient Pasta
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 quart water; 2 large egg yolks; ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (½ ounce), plus extra for serving; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ¼ teaspoon mustard powder; 2½ cups (6 ounces) farfalle pasta; ¾ teaspoon table salt

Why This Recipe Works

The secret ingredient in this simple, creamy, cheesy pasta recipe is two egg yolks. But you can’t just add them directly to your pot of pasta! Slowly adding hot pasta cooking water to a mixture of egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and mustard powder helps them form a velvety sauce—and won’t turn those yolks into scrambled eggs. As they work through this recipe, ask kids to describe the texture of the sauce at each stage: In step 5 as they add each tablespoon of pasta cooking water (the sauce should become smoother and thinner), in step 6 after they’ve stirred for 30 seconds (the sauce should start to become thicker, but still look somewhat runny), and in step 7 after stirring again for 30 seconds (the sauce should be thick and clinging to the pasta).

Before You Begin

You can substitute 6 ounces of any short pasta shape for the farfalle; however, the cup measurements will vary—use 2 cups of ziti, 2 cups of penne, or 2⅓ cups of medium shells.

Instructions

Set colander in sink. In large saucepan, bring water to boil over high heat.

While water heats, in medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, Parmesan, garlic powder, and mustard powder until well combined.

Add pasta and salt to boiling water. Cook, stirring frequently with wooden spoon, until pasta is al dente (tender but still a bit chewy), 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off heat.

Use ladle to carefully transfer ¼ cup pasta cooking water to liquid measuring cup. Drain pasta in colander (ask an adult for help). Return drained pasta to now-empty saucepan.

Add 1 tablespoon reserved cooking water to egg yolk mixture and whisk until well combined. Repeat 2 more times with 2 more tablespoons reserved cooking water, whisking thoroughly after each addition.

Pour warm egg yolk mixture into saucepan with pasta. Use wooden spoon to stir constantly for 30 seconds. Cover saucepan with lid and let pasta sit for 1 minute.

Remove lid and stir pasta constantly again until sauce thoroughly coats pasta and is thickened, about 30 seconds. If needed, add remaining cooking water until sauce is loosened slightly and coats pasta well. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan.