On long winter afternoons, I often undertake larger projects like noodle making. While mixing sourdough starter with flour and herbs requires only a few minutes, rolling out and cutting the dough into ribbon-like strips can be time-intensive, so save this recipe for a slow afternoon. Plunged into
boiling water or stock, they’ll cook in only a few minutes.
SERVES: 6 GENEROUSLY
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or high-extraction flour, plus more for working the dough
- 1 cup rye flour
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried chives
- 4 egg yolks, beaten
- 1 cup sourdough starter
- Unsalted butter or sour cream, to serve
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Heap the flours and parsley, dill, and chives in a large mixing bowl and stir well to distribute the herbs in the flour. Form a well in the center of the flour and fill it first with the egg yolks, then the sourdough starter.
- Beat all the ingredients together until they form a smooth dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out and leave it in a warm spot on your kitchen counter for at least 12 and up to 16 hours.
- The next day, generously flour your work surface and plop the dough on the surface. Form the dough into a ball and cover it with the mixing bowl. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Uncover and split the dough into four equal portions.
- Working one piece at a time, roll out the dough until it’s no thicker than ⅛ inch. Pass it through a pasta machine until it is thin enough for you, then cut the pasta sheet into noodles the length and width that you prefer. Gently arrange the noodles on a drying rack and continue rolling and cutting until you’ve exhausted the dough. The noodles should dry within 8 to 12 hours, depending on their thickness and the ambient humidity of your home. Store the dry noodles in resealable bags at room temperature for 1 week, or transfer to the freezer, where they’ll keep for up to 6 months.
- When you’re ready to serve the noodles, bring a pot of water of broth to a boil and plunge the dry noodles into the water. Let them simmer, covered, for 2 or 3 minutes, or until they rise to the water’s surface. Drain and serve the noodles with butter or sour cream.
