Homemade Pasta

My mom made the best pot of chicken goodness with home made pasta.  She called it noodles.  So this dish is Chicken and Noodles.  It is one of those things that are good the first night but gets better after some time in the fridge, so it will be a good quick reheat lunch during Christmas week. 

Here is the Noodles.

2 Eggs,
1/4 c milk

3/4 t. salt

2 c. all purpose flour


Blend with a whisk, then switch to a big spoon.  Keep working it to combine into a smooth stiff dough.

Push it with the back of the spoon.  Or switch to my favorite kitchen tool,  clean hands.  Press down with your palm or thumbs, then turn it and press down again and turn it.

At this point, please take the time to stop and enjoy this stiff, but really elastic dough.  Remeber playing with play-do or clay as a a child?  Didn't it feel good?  Go there now.

When the dough is fully incorporated and smooth, flour a board and place your ball of dough on the board.   If you are not experienced rolling dough, no worries.  This kind of dough is very forgiving.  Turn the ball over until it is coated with flour all over.  Then, lay your rolling pin on it.  Roll in an X pattern, down and right to up and left.  Then, down and left to up and right.  Stop.  Don't hurry.  Turn the dough over on the board.  Add more flour whenever needed to keep visible flour on both sides of the dough. 

Yes, I rub this dough just like I rub pie crust. Check out the posts on pie crust if you need more on this procedure.  Stop and feel the dough under your fingers.  It is dry, cool, smooth.  You are making something wonderful out of very humble ingredients, eggs, milk and flour.  This kind of stuff makes me very happy.

Continue this process.  Roll in an X pattern.  Flour the dough.  Turn it over.   Flour again.  Rub it with your hands and feel good.

This starts to work into a fairly thin dough.  Don't worry about perfection.  If it starts to be hard to turn over, remember that you are going to cut it into strips. 

If it isn't perfect right now.  That's okay.  Just keep working it.

And working it. If it gets hard to turn over, stop and have a nice deep breath.  Don't be in a hurry.  Try folding it in half, turning it over, then unfolding it.  My mother put her rolling pin in the middle of it, folded it over her rolling pin, then turned it over.  Darn, should have taken a picture of that.  Next time.

Remember to flour it and rub it.  I have strange fantasies at times like this.  I'm a sculpter and this is

 my work of art, which I am creating out of flour, egg, and milk. 

I have this whole zen thing about working dough.  If I can do this, think what else I may be capable of.  Or how about this?  Be the dough.

My board is 18 inches by 18 inches, if that helps to get some scale.

Enough.  Time to cut noodles. Cut the dough horizontially in half and lay one half

on top with the cut edges lined up.  Add more flour  between the layers if there isn't a little bit of visble flour there already. 

Now cut the two layers together vertically.  There are now four pieces. 

Lay two on top of the other two so that the points of the two cuts meet and the cuts line up vertically and horizontally.  Remember to flour between the layers if the dough hasn't stayed very dry and floury. 

You'll be cutting noodles soon.

Cut as thin of slices as you dare, cutting carefully through all layers.

Take your time and enjoy this.  Remember to take good deep breaths.  This can be very

pleasureable.  Don't let this stress you out.

Cut it all.  With your fingers, carefully separate the slices.  Sprinkle with flour again, if it feels at all sticky.  Use a small knife to separate any pieces that didn't get cut all the way through.  Feel it all and fluff them or toss them until you are sure they are separate from each other, dry, and floury. Just for kicks, taste one!  I can't say they taste good, but I just love eating raw noodles.  There is something so tactile and sensual about it. 

Cover the board with a clean dry towel and leave it alone for about 24 hours or at least overnight.  Use them only after they have dried.  I mean like it breaks in half, brittle.  This should happen in 24 hours or less.  You may want to toss them or turn them over 1/2 way through the process to make sure they dry.  If you aren't going to use it before 24 hours,  put them in a gallon zip lock bag.

Oh, I am very happy right now.  This stuff makes me so happy. 

Check back for the chicken part of this dish.