I'll never forget the day when our middle grandson Nick called me and asked, "GB, can we make noodles?" Could we?? Oh my gosh yes!! I was over the moon to get his invitation! He was nine or ten at the time and I dropped everything. And, heck, I'm pretty sure I broke the land speed record getting from our place to his.
When a grandchild invites me or asks me to do something for them I jump at the chance to make memories together. I'm especially grateful for the memories now that schools have closed and we can't get together for a while.
Recently, I wrote about making macaroons for our granddaughters. Oddly enough, that old-fashioned cookie has made it to the top of their favorites chart! In my post I mentioned how I planned to use the orphaned yolks to make noodles or pudding. I made a batch of noodles last week.
He texted back immediately, "Yes!! They are SO good!" He's a senior in high school now so I was really tickled by his response. Nick, his buddies and his cousin, (our oldest granddaughter) Baylie are some of the senior kids I've loved feeding at lunch time this school year. I ache to have my kitchen full of teenagers again and with things the way they are now, I'll just have to be glad for the meals we did share!
I looked for a recipe that uses mainly yolks and found one online. Since I get eggs from a farm, we have the pleasure of getting "pullet eggs" from young hens (pullets) who haven't hit their egg-laying groove yet. The eggs are really small which explains why the photo and the recipe don't quite match. You'll never find them in grocery stores because they are too little for retail standards but they are wonderfully fresh and full of flavor. If you find yourself without pullet eggs, (and you probably will) just follow the recipe!
Begin with flour and salt on a clean work surface and make a well in the middle. Break the eggs into the center and beat them a bit with a fork. Then using fingers, pull flour into the egg mixture gradually and add water a teeny bit at a time til you have a nice ball of dough.
Next, you'll knead the dough like kneading bread. Push the heel of your hand into the dough and rotate it a quarter turn and do it again and again. Keep doing this on a floured surface until you have a ball of dough that is smooth and elastic. This shouldn't take more than five or ten minutes.
Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out nice and thin on a floured surface like you're making a pie crust.
Then use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut into thin, uniform strips about 1/4 " wide. Finally, they need to dry a bit. You can actually cook them after they've dried for half an hour or so. If you're going to use them later just drape them over cooling racks or spread out on a cotton dishtowel and let them sit for a couple of days. Can freeze in ziploc bags.
Measure flour onto clean work surface. Make a well in the center and add egg yolks, whole egg and salt. With hands, thoroughly mix egg into flour. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. (Add only enough water to form dough into a ball.) Turn dough onto well-floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces and work with one half of the dough at a time. On a well-floured surface roll out the dough to the desired thickness from 1/4-inch to paper-thin, the thickness is up to you! Flour your work area as needed to keep dough from sticking. Use sharp knife of pizza cutter to cut in strips as wide or narrow as you like but keep the width uniform so they'll all cook happily ever after.
Boil the noodles in 3 quarts of water with a tablespoon of salt until they are as tender as you like them and use in soups or stews are serve as a side dish with butter and cheese or both!
Right now, more than ever before, we need connection, comfort and compassion. There's something very homey and happy about making food from scratch and knowing how to do it. I hope you'll give it a try!
If you enjoyed this recipe today, please share it on your social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. I’d sure be tickled and ever so grateful, thank you!
If you haven’t already, check out my Facebook page where I’ll be posting easy, delicious and family-friendly recipes every week!
Love, GB (Betty Streff)
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Just like my grandma and mom made too. I do it a little different. I split dough in half, roll out into a smaller circle then roll up like jelly roll and cut into strips. Then unroll each one. I use the dehydrate setting on my convection oven to dry on cookie sheets.
I bet you're a smart cookie! You were so lucky to spend time with your grandma!! Soemthing I never had. You're blessed, girl!
[…] There’s something very homey and happy about making food from scratch and knowing how to do it. I hope you’ll give it a try! Full recipe below. Easy Homemade Noodle Recipe […]
Well hello again! How did we connect? I'm curious!
My frugal grandmother used all the egg and I believe a tad bit of fresh cream. She rolled them up, sliced them so thin you would think it was spaghetti before they were cooked. She towed them with flour & left them to dry. They were so light and the chicken broth thickened into sauce during cooking. Delicious!.
You are a lucky girl Joan- she sounds amazing and so doea her chicken and noodles!!
[…] Easy Homemade Noodle Recipe […]
Can these be used to make ravioli?
I sure think so! What a great idea! I'll have to try it sometime! Let me know how it turns out!
Can you mix and knead the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook? I'm not able to do all that mixing and kneading with my hands. I would love to try these. Love fresh pasta! Thank you
I have friends that do just that! I would sure give it a try!! Let me know how it works!
My mom's were always pencil thick and gnarly not flat and thin...have to do with the eggs...all yolks...?!
Hi Ron, sorry to be so pokey in replying. Your moms were "gnarly" probably because she didn't use a rolling pin, probably just tossed them and formed them by hand! I bet they were yummy!
This recipe is exactly the way my Mom and Granny made them with the exception of only using egg yolks. I can’t remember no whites were used but they always turned out perfect. The trick is to always keep your surface and rolling pin well floured.
Thanks for taking the time to send a message! Life is so busy I really appreciate it! Now I'm hungry for noodles and fall is in the air!!
Looks so delicious, my entire family loved it, I will definitely try it your way, looks seem easy to make, hope so :D. Thanks so much for this guide. Looking forward to seeing more recipes.
Oh my goodness! You have no idea how much it means to me that you took time from your busy life to comment! You are a sweetie! Thank you!
My mom used to make these when I was little she would have the drape over every chair in the kitchen on a cloth, she would dry them out. Then I started making them called her up, “ hey mom you don’t have to dry them out anymore” We laughed. They are my son’s favorite noodle won’t eat any other kind, say they aren’t as good lol
What a heart-warming memory!! Thank you for sharing!!🧡🧡🧡
My best role in life ever has been GB!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤