Having decided to embark on my food journey, I wanted to start off with something simple and basic, and it's hard to beat Fettuccine Alfredo - it's (theoretically) novice-level stuff, and pasta is remarkably satisfying.
Here's the recipe I tried to follow: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/fettuccine-alfredo
Unfortunately, the Target in downtown Chicago didn't carry fettuccine. Seriously. They had gnocchi, farfalle, rotini, and the disgrace that is angel hair, but no fettuccine. So I adapted the recipe into Spaghetti Alfredo, and continued onward.
Having upboxed and unwrapped my cookware for the first time, I proceeded to spend 20 minutes wondering why the stove wouldn't turn on. As it turns out, University Center installs a device on the oven and stove to make sure people don't leave it running when they leave. Technical issues sorted out, I started by making the pasta.
The idealization of pasta is al dente - with some firmness to the pasta when you bite in. Overcooked pasta has too soft of a mouthfeel, and isn't my favorite in the world. I successfully managed to follow Gordon Ramsey's trick for getting all of the spaghetti into the pot without breaking it into shorter lengths - you just twist the pasta around in the boiling water until it all falls in:
So the good news is that I nailed the pasta. It was al dente and long and just an absolute delight. The trouble came from the sauce. Instructions from the recipe:
Transfer 1 cup pasta cooking liquid to a large skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer, then whisk in butter, a piece at a time, until melted. Whisking constantly, gradually add cheese, making sure it’s completely melted and incorporated before adding more.
While the butter did its job as planned, the cheese clumped together into a gooey, sticky mess. What's worse, it stuck to the pot, the plastic utensils, and (worst of all) the whisk. The final product was much more butter noodles with clumps of parmesan than true spaghetti with alfredo sauce. Truth be told, if I had left out the cheese entirely, I probably would have much more pleased.
Left: the photo from the recipe. Center: some pretty solid butter noodles. Right: a disgusting mess.
Next time, I'll try and repeat the same recipe, but without the cheese. I'll probably also add the butter directly to the pasta, after straining.