Students, welcome to the Point Campus blog, are you ready to become a master of your kitchen?! Our blog posts aim to teach students about student living, studying in Dublin, what it’s like in Point Campus Student Accommodation and much more. We’ve covered some basic dinners all students should learn in the past which you can read here, and we’re back again with 4 new delicious and easy recipes!

Cooking is an essential skill that all students should learn. It may be daunting at first, but once you get the hang of a few of these recipes, you’ll be feeling like Gordon Ramsey in no time! The great thing about these 4 dishes is that you most likely already have the ingredients. We wrote a blog covering the main foods you should always keep in stock which you can read here, so be sure to check that out first.

Cacio e Pepe

This Italian dish is an iconic Roman dinner, and a super easy one at that! You’d be surprised to hear that even though there are only 4 ingredients (including salt and pepper), it’s still so delicious and satisfying.

Ingredients:
Spaghetti
Parmesan/pecorino cheese
Salt
Pepper

Method:
Cook some spaghetti in boiling water, 10-15 minutes depending on how ‘al dente’ you like it. Grate a large heap of parmesan onto a big plate and season with plenty of pepper and a pinch of salt. Once the pasta is cooked, spoon onto the plate, along with a few tablespoons of the cooking water (this step is crucial!). Mix gently with a fork until all the pasta is covered with cheesy goodness and enjoy.

Spanish Omelette

One of our favourite things about the Spanish omelette is that it can be eaten hot or cold, and it tastes just as good either way! This staple of the Spanish diet only requires 3 ingredients that most of you already have in your cupboard.

Ingredients:
2 potatoes
4 Eggs
1 Onion

Method:
Chop the potatoes and onion into thin slices. Over a medium-high heat, cook the potatoes and onion in enough olive oil to cover them until soft and a golden brown colour. Crack your eggs into a large bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Drain the oil from the pan (you can reuse this) and pour the onion and potatoes into the eggs, mixing gently. Cover with tinfoil and leave to set for 30 minutes.

Heat a small frying pan with a few teaspoons of oil. Pour your omelette mixture into the pan and cook for 1 minute on a high heat before turning the heat down for the next 3 minutes. Flip the omelette using this technique and cook for the same amount on the other side et voila, you’re done. Now time for a siesta...

DIY Pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza? We’re yet to meet a student who doesn’t like pizza, so we figured we had to come up with a recipe for this student favourite. Our take on pizza is a lot healthier than regular takeaways and also allows for infinite topping combos!

Ingredients:
Tortilla wraps
Tomato/pizza sauce
Mozzarella/cheddar cheese
Your favourite toppings!

Method:
Preheat an oven to 160℃. Put your tortilla wrap on a large baking tray or oven rack and spoon your tomato sauce over, leaving a gap at the edge for the crust. Don’t put too much on, nobody likes a soggy crust. Scatter your favourite toppings over the wrap and top with grated cheese before popping in the oven. It normally takes 5-7 minutes when the wraps are so thin but keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn! Have some fun with these pizzas, why not try a few different styles?

Egg-Fried Rice

This is another dish that doesn’t require a lot of ingredients but packs a punch when it comes to flavour and nutrition. We love egg-fried rice. We love it for breakfast after a late night having a bit too much fun, we love it for an on-the-go lunch and we love it for dinner as well.

Ingredients:
Rice
1-2 eggs
Scallions/spring onion
Soy sauce

Method:
The most important step in making egg-fried rice is using day-old rice. Ask any restaurant or takeaway and they’ll tell you it’s impossible to make it using fresh rice, it’s just too sticky. With that said, cook some rice right now with the plan of making this recipe tomorrow!

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a wok or frying pan over a medium to high heat. Crack your eggs into a bowl and whisk until the egg white and yolk are no longer separate. Pour into the pan and mix for 10-20 seconds before pouring back into your bowl. You don’t want to overcook your eggs, they’ll be added back into the dish at the end. Add your day-old rice to the pan and cook on a medium to high heat, making sure all the rice is broken up and there are no lumps stuck together. Chop your spring onion and add to the rice, along with a dash of soy sauce and salt and pepper. When the rice begins to get crispy, you can add your cooked eggs back in and stir until all is mixed.

Point Campus’ kitchens include a shared oven, hob, fridge/freezer, microwave, toaster and kettle. We’ve got everything you need to become an excellent student chef, ready to entertain your friends and fellow residents. If you’d like to learn more about Point Campus and what it’s like to live here, visit our homepage here.