HOMEMADE EGG NOODLES for chicken noodle soup
Isn’t it nice to get a little coddled when you’re sick? I’m sure there was some point in my adult life, though I can’t pinpoint it, when I learned the harsh truth that grown ups get much less coddled at these times. The kids still need feeding, the bills still need paying, the laundry still builds, the dishes still get dirty. Cruel world.
This week my husband had a little cold. Tuesday he spent the full day working from his home office and then installing doors so Grandma and Grandpa could come this weekend. So we decided to make him this chicken noodle soup with homemade egg noodles, for the ultimate coddling effect.
Homemade egg noodles take a little work. But they’re so yummy, and I love the process of rolling and slicing and piling stacks of noodles. Plus the kids think they’re fun because they can cut out loving shapes to take care of whoever has the sniffles. You can cook the noodles fresh or dry them and they will keep indefinitely. So if you know someone who needs a pick-me-up but who is living far away, you can mail a batch with some soup mix. Instant love. The recipe and tips follow.
3 egg yolks
1 egg
2 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 c. water
- Put flower in a med. sized bowl and make a well in the center. Add the yolks, whole egg, and salt.
- Use your hands to thoroughly mix egg into flour (I’ve used my kitchenaid too, which works, but I feel so much more Little-House-on-the-Prairie using my hands).
- Add just enough water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to bring the dough together so it forms a ball. Mix well between each addition of water.
- Knead on a floured surface for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic (again, I’ve used the dough hook on my kitchen aid, but this is some tough dough, so keep it slow).
- Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
- Divide into 4 equal parts. Roll dough one part at a time until it’s very thin. Thinner than you think (see tip below for easier rolling).
UPDATE: See TY’s note in the comments, and the great tip to let the dough rest for two hours, then return to it to roll it again before cutting. I think this is a great technique. - Cut dough crosswise into fettuccine-sized strips (see tip below).
- Add it to soup immediately or lay it on a cooling rack to dry. Store it in a bag or airtight container. Fresh noodles cook in about 8 minutes, dried noodles in about 12 minutes.
roll it thin
what better way to send messages of love than with noodles in soup?
Tags: care package gift ideas, cheer-up gifts, DIY gifts kids can make, get-well-soon gifts, gifts for someone away from home, gifts from the kitchen, gifts of candy or food, green gifts, mailable gifts
October 29th, 2009 at 8:09 am
Aww! This is great. Do you think I can replace the all purpose flour with whole wheat? Or would it change the consistency too much?
October 29th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Hey! I was wondering this too. I just looked around a bit and it looks like half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat would work.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:43 am
What a wonderful idea. How long does it take to dry the noodles? How long will it keep if dried? Thanks.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:30 am
hi duriancheesecake,
I let mine dry overnight, though I’m not sure it’s necessary to do it so many hours. And I’m able to use them for a couple months after making them. Hope this helps. Good luck.
October 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
love this! do you dry them on a cooling rack or directly on the counter top? Or somewhere else?
October 31st, 2009 at 9:10 am
Hi Crystal,
Thanks for asking! I should probably add that. I use a cooling rack. I’ve heard of even just hanging them over a chair for really long noodles, which I guess works if your chairs are clean? Good luck!
March 9th, 2010 at 7:49 am
[...] to drop off with friends are gifts of food, like a batch of granola or a home baked pie or a cup of chicken noodle. Good food is thoughtful, handmade, and appreciated. But one of my biggest quandaries is often how [...]
March 25th, 2010 at 4:09 am
I so love your web blog! I so wish I could take pictures as well as you do Amberlee! Anyway, back to chicken noodle soup…
My grandmother (an elder german woman even when I was in my teens) always liked to roll her noodle dough out flat (and very thin) onto the kitchen table and walk away for two hours.
Grandma Mey would then cut each flat into four pieces, roll it up and simply slice it with a knife and toss it into the chicken soup. I so wish I had payed attention when I was younger to exactly what she actually did, but my hand written recipes simply say…
2 cups flour
3 Eggs
some salt
Roll very flat and let dry for two hours.
Cut into fours and roll.
Cut to length for soup.
My question… why would she leave the flattened pasta dough on the table for two hours to dry?
I’m actually trying to replicate her soup tonight, and would love to hear your thoughts.
TY, Worricow
March 25th, 2010 at 6:35 am
Hi Ty!
Thanks for stopping by, and how wonderful of you to pass on the recipe! You know, it seems to make so much sense for her to let the dough rest for a couple hours, though I hadn’t thought of it. When I’ve made pasta for Italian dishes, whether with just white flour or semolina flour, I’ve had some recipes tell me to let it rest for 20 min before rolling. I’m not sure if it’s the same thing, but I’ve always just done this on my own with pizza dough too, stretched it, let it rest 10 min, then stretched it thinner. I’m sorry I don’t have the exact answer, but it does seem like a great idea. I wonder if it has something to do with the gluten. If you don’t mind, I’ll update my post and point to your comment so everyone can benefit from your grandmother’s knowledge.
And thanks for the kind words!
Amber
March 28th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Hi AmberLee!
Thanks for your interest in my grandmother’s unique way of making noodles!
I am happy to say they came out perfect!
I rolled the dough out very thinly, and let it rest as described. I used a dough cutter to take them off the table and to slice the noodles to size. It was very easy.
I allowed the noodles to dry for perhaps another hour or more because they still seemed a bit moist.
Long story short, I gave away about half the soup to friends and averyone commented on the noodles. They stayed thin and looked perfect in the soup. I will do this again. It was easy and the noodles came out much better than my previous attempts.
Keep up the good work!
Bye for now, Worri