SUNDAY'S RECIPE

HOMEMADE NOODLES

This recipe isn't as much about ingredients as it is method...and wholesomeness. You need to start out with buying a noodle/pasta maker...I got mine probably 10 years ago for $20 at a kitchen gadget store(some of the best money I've spent for the kitchen). The other item you need will be a cheap kitchen scale to weigh the flour (not absolutely necessary, but they are cheap and it makes it a little easier).

VERY IMPORTANT! take 5 large eggs out of the fridge at least an hour before starting...the eggs need to be at room temperature, otherwise the dough will be VERY hard to work. Stir in a strong tsp. of salt and beat a little till mixed, then add in 1 pound of flour...today I used 1/4 whole wheat and 3/4 unbleached white flour. Stir until well blended, then add 1 TBSP olive oil, then add only 1 or 2 TBSP warm water to be able to make a dough that is homogenized but not sticky. Knead a bit like you would a bread dough, then cut into golf-ball sized pieces. Picture 2 shows the pasta machine I have that clamps onto the edge of a table (whoops, and my K-State cap and my ticket from last nights' huge win over Texas..it was a great time!)

You squeeze the dough a little flat and run it thru the rollers several times until you have a nice smooth slab of noodle dough, then cut it into 4" pieces, the run it thru the noodle cutter.(Picture 3 shows a clump of dough ready to roll out and a plate of just made noodles). You very lightly toss the noodles with flour to make sure they don't stick to each other, then I spread them out to dry on a tea towel (Picture 1) Let them dry for 3-6 hours, then bring 6 cups of broth(either chicken or beef) to a boil in a big pot, then dump in all the noodles. Next add your meat (either chunks of beef or chicken) and boil till noodles are done...10 minutes?( you just have to sample). The flour on the noodles will thicken up the broth.

We use a whole small chicken boiled and deboned, which we like the best. You can also use a couple of pounds of a beef roast or chunks of sirloin or some other steak. Another variation we like is using a thawed 10 oz. frozen box of chopped spinach, squeezing all the moisture out in a tea towel before adding it to the egg/flour mixture...makes great spinach noodles!