HOMEMADE NOODLES

Homemade Noodles

makes: 4 servings

- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

- 3/4 tsp. baking soda

- 1 tsp. salt

- 1 egg

- 1/4 cup cold water

- 1/4 cup cornstarch (or tapioca starch)

1. Mix the flours, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry mix and add the egg. Mix the egg into the flour using a fork or your fingers, till you have a shaggy dough. Add water 1 tbsp. at a time and mix till you have a stiff dough. Knead really well - about 10 minutes - to make the dough supple and smooth. Cover and let it rest at room temperature for at least 15 min., up to 2 hrs. Dust your hands with cornstarch and divide the rested dough into 4 pieces.
2. If using a pasta roller: Take one piece of dough and roughly shape it into a rectangle. Roll it through the pasta roller at the widest setting. Fold into thirds like a letter and roll it through again. Repeat two more times. After that, roll through without folding, and at successively narrower settings till you have sheets of the desired thickness (you don't want to go too thin or the dough will tear, but you don't want to be too thick because the noodles will swell slightly when cooked). Lightly dust with corn starch as needed, if the dough gets sticky. Hang the rolled sheet of dough over a hanger or the back of a chair to dry for 10 - 15 min. Repeat with the rest of the dough. On the pasta maker select the noodle width you want, and pass one sheet at a time through the cutter to make noodles. Gather the cut noodles into a loose pile and set aside while you cut the remaining sheets into noodles.
3. If rolling by hand: flatten one piece of the dough and dust lightly with corn starch. Roll into a circle or rough rectangle, as thin as possible without tearing the dough. Let it dry for 10 - 15 min. Repeat with the remaining dough. Working with one sheet of rolled dough at a time, fold the sheet into thirds and use a sharp knife to cut evenly into noodles as wide or narrow as you want. Gather the cut noodles into loose piles and set aside while you cut the rest of the rolled dough into noodles.
4. Steam the noodles for 5 - 7 minutes. Allow to cool. If not cooking immediately, store in a covered container in the fridge for up to two days. If cooking immediately, see Step 5 below.
5. Finish cooking the noodles by boiling for 7 - 10 min. and enjoy in your favourite recipe!