Friday

How to make Amish egg noodles

Take at visit to the home of Clara and her daughter, Ellen, to learn how to make egg noodles the Amish way.
Clara was last but certainly not least in a family of 13 children, a quiet woman who cheated death when she was born prematurely in the days when preemies often didn't make it. She is a home-maker in the best sense of the word. A grandmother with three young grandchildren, she manages a household in which all but two of her grown children are gone, runs the family seed business with her husband, and puts up an amazing amount of food in their spacious basement each year. We love spending time with her; she is quiet and uses her words sparingly, has the sweetest lilting laugh, and has a way of helping us learn in the gentlest way possible. We are very grateful for her time, and hope we can help you learn her method for making egg noodles at home.
(Article courtesy of Amish Workshops)

Four simple ingredients:
  • 2 c. egg yolks only
  • 1 T. salt
  • 3 lbs. flour
  • ½ c. boiling water
You will also need a pasta noodle maker. These are available from a wide variety of sources ranging in price from $30 - $80.
 
Directions:
Separate eggs into yolks only.

Amish woman separating egg yolks.

Add salt and boiling water. Beat until frothy, then add flour.
Amish woman beating eggs.
Amish woman pours beaten eggs over a bowl of flour.
Knead the pasta dough thoroughly.
Stir until combined, then mix by hand; knead until thoroughly combined.
An Amish woman displays a bowl of dough for Amish noodles

Cover tightly and allow to sit for ten minutes.
Take a ball of dough the size of a large walnut and flatten it in an oval pattern that is narrow enough to feed through your noodle maker.
An Amish woman makes pasta dough into balls the size of walnuts, then flattens the dough with her fingers.
Amish woman flattening pasta dough in a pasta noodle maker.
Flattened pasta dough laid out on clean sheet to dry.
Amish woman cutting sheets of pasta dough into sheets.
Feed the dough through the top of the noodle maker, supporting the un-cut side of the dough with your free hand as it passes through the slicer.
Amish woman using a pasta maker to make Amish noodles.



Once the dough is cut into noodles, spread them out to dry on a large, flat surface covered with clean, dry fabric; a bed sheet over your kitchen table or countertops will do. Once the noodles are dry, seal in zip-lock bags until ready for use.
Laying Amish noodles out to dry.
Amish woman cutting wide egg noodles.
Drying Amish egg noodles.

1 comment:

Angie Berry ~ Berry Homespun Primitives said...

Thank you Michelle! I've been wanting to make some homemade ones for quite some time now. I just need to get my pasta machine and I'll be in business. =]