Noodles are great! There are many different kinds of noodles: long noodles, short noodles, pool noodles, and best of all pasta noodles! When it comes to these delicate creatures it is good to know how to treat them! So today we are going to delve into the world of flour and water, learn how to make a great noodle at home, and also learn a few different ' noodle categories' so you can always have the one that suits you best!
The art of making a noodle- From the famed, and extremely hard to make, hand pulled noodle, to your Italian grandmother's hand made tortellini they all share two common ingredients, flour and water (hopefully some salt as well) ! With that being said, try telling that Italian grandmother that you aren't supposed to have eggs and see what happens, I dare you! The same goes for the hand pulled noodles, try telling a traditional chinese noodle shop that making a noodle chewy is wrong. Knowing which noodle you are making is key for successfully making that style of noodle. So let's break down what some specific types of noodles are and how they are made differently.
The Italian style noodle- When I think of noodles I think of Italy, I find that their traditions rely heavily on some sort of pasta used in each dish. The reason for all the different shapes of noodles is to match all the different types of sauces. The base for an Italian pasta dough is flour, all purpose is fine, semolina is a coarse wheat that is often added for flavor and texture, eggs, and water seasoned with a sprinkle of salt. Mix these ingredients slowly until they form a dough that has the right consistency, typically this is something that doesn't stick to your hands but also doesn't crumble when you work it. After that you simply roll it out, flour it slightly, so it doesn't stick to each other, and repeat. You should end up with a pile of pasta dough that is several layers thick, simple cut off the desired noodle width, then unfold. By folding the pasta dough on itself it creates more uniform noodles! If you have a pasta machine feel free to use that.
Skinny Noodles - These types of noodles go best with a light sauce. In my mind simple butter and salt or maybe olive oil and fresh grated parmigiano-reggiano! Noodles in this category are the famous spaghetti, linguini, and angel's hair, to name a few.
Thick Noodles - If you like a chunky sauce with lots of meat or yummy veggies these are the noodles for you! Pappardelle is one of my favorite noodles which happens to be nice and thick, great for a lamb ragu, others include fettuccini, and reginette.
Stuffed Noodles- Now we all know about ravioli, but tortellini and large shells are less common. Great for stuffing with creamy cheeses like ricotta, chevre, or boursin along with the traditional minced up meat and vegetables. Since the purpose of these noodles is to hold the filling the sauce's purpose should be to work best for the filling as well!
The crazy ones - Whether they are hollow on the inside, like macaroni or ziti, or reminiscent of a bowtie, such as a farfalla noodle there is no denying their synergy with a creamy or cheesy sauce, or even a creamy cheesy sauce! Campanelle which means little bells is a fun little shape especially if you have pesky kids, a little broccoli florent hides well in a bowl with these noodles.
Other noodles from around the world - While Italy is probably one of the most famous areas for using noodles they are not the only ones! Take for example Asian cuisine, whether it is the famous stretchy noodles that are chewy as can be and won't fall apart in a soup to those rice noodles that have that unusual silky texture. Each of these is different and unique in their own way, learning how to best use these will make your next lo mein or hot pot all the better!
Stretchy noodles - Best in dishes that need the chewy texture to help fill them out or with ingredients that are very different, such as the orange segments used below, the noodles provided a base texture and when you bit into the juicy orange it was a huge contrast. When making these noodles you are wanting to use cake flour, it has a low amount of gluten content which is what forms structure in the baking process. By lowering the amount of structure in the dough the easier it is to stretch, the more it is stretched, the longer the gluten bonds become and the chewier the pasta!
Rice noodles - These silky worms can come in many sizes from skinny to thick, just like the italian noodles, with these though I prefer the angel hair style. The slim rice noodles work very well in a broth, the hot liquid exemplifies just how slippery these noodles can be, which for me is their defining characteristic. If you want to make rice noodles at home... here is a video!
Ramen noodles are widely known as the college student meal plan, while this is true, this is not also about traditional ramen. Traditional ramen soup originates in Japan or China, the origins are debated, and has a long, delicious history. A traditional bowl of ramen will have soft boiled eggs, chives, and meat of some sort, along with whatever else the chef decides to add!
At the end of the day, every day, for a year you could try a different type of pasta and not repeat. If you include the sauces and accompaniments into the equation you will be able to eat nothing but noodles for the rest of your life. So, go out there, try something new!
vaporwave
blakekathryn
kianamaiart
izzy806
germansingergirl
romaincrisis
gummygunk