Homemade pasta noodles are so good, soft, tasty, and satisfying . . . a little something different to add to the menu

Homemade noodles are a special treat. Once you master the art of noodle-making, you'll find yourself making pasta often. Store-bought pasta is fine, for the most part, but homemade pasta noodles offer a completely different texture and taste experience.

Plan to make a batch of fresh pasta to serve with dinner!

I make my homemade noodles and then freeze the remainder. Tender and filling noodles are especially nice on cold winter evenings.

Making your Noodle Dough (Step 1)

Recipe for Fresh Pasta #1

• 2 eggs (scramble with a fork)

• half tsp. salt

Add in:

• 2 cups of flour

• 3-4 tbsp. rich cream (I use 18% table cream) + water, as needed

1. Mix with a wooden spoon and add liquid to moisten flour until a dough ball forms. Knead until light and smooth.
2. Roll out on a floured board and keep working and rolling dough (adding flour) until it is no longer sticky.
3. Roll out dough until it is quit thin because it puffs up when cooking.
4. Cut your noodles with a knife or a pizza wheel. Making homemade pasta noodles with a pizza wheel saves time and is so much easier.

Recipe #2: Homemade Noodles

• 6 eggs

• 1tsp. salt

• 6 tbsp. water

1. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough.
2. Knead well, then roll into thin sheets on a floured surface and cut in long strips.
3. Cook in boiling water until noodles float.

Recipe #3: Homemade Pasta Noodles for Two

• 1 cup of flour

• 1 egg

• salt to taste

• a few drops of milk or water

Make noodles as outlined above.

There are two methods that make cutting your noodles much easier.

The very texture of noodle dough is such that if you try to cut it with a regular knife, it stretches and, at times, tears.

• A pizza cutter makes the process one hundred percent easier. The wheel effortlessly slices through the noodle dough and you will have long strips of noodles cut out in record time.
• A hand-cranked pasta maker also makes the process easier and if you want professional-looking noodles, you can feed your pasta dough through one of these and noodles will slide out the other end.

1. Drop homemade pasta noodles into boiling water and cook until the noodles float.

Scoop noodles out with a slotted spoon (and place in a strainer) to save your hot water, then drop in the next batch of noodles. Serve immediately. Reheat noodles you plan on using later in the day. Freeze remainder.

Storing Homemade Noodles

• Drain noodles in a strainer

• Lay noodles out on a tea towel to drain and dry then freeze in plastic bags or plastic containers

If you prefer to dry your homemade pasta noodles, inexpensive drying racks are preferable--over using a chair back (as was done years ago) or a broom handle--and can help to drain moisture from noodles prior to freezing.

• Place your fresh noodles on a drying rack and allow to completely dry. Store as you would for regular pasta

Serving Suggestions for Homemade Pasta Noodles

Plain: Serve fresh pasta with butter, salt and pepper, and seasonings of choice.

Italiano Noodles: Toss noodles with olive oil, salt and pepper, basil, crushed garlic, and parmesan. Top with sliced black olives.

Homemade Pasta as a Side Dish: Top homemade noodles with chicken or turkey gravy and serve along with baked chicken or turkey. Homemade noodles topped with gravy are delicious!

Noodle "Chips": Place noodles in a greased roasting pan and drizzle oil over them. Bake until crispy and golden brown. Dip noodles in dipping sauce of choice.

Cheesy Noodles: Place noodles in a greased casserole dish and, when warm, toss with butter. Top with grated chedder and serve when cheese is bubbly.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup: Homemade noodles have a velvety consistency and go particularly well in homemade chicken noodle soup. Prepare soup and drop in frozen noodles before serving.

Homemade Pasta in a Hurry

A large batch of homemade pasta noodles can be made ahead of time so that when time is at a premium, you have a supply of homemade noodles that are ready to be dropped into boiling water. Making homemade pasta ahead renders a supply of tasty noodles.

Homemade noodles can e made using different flour to add wholesomeness to the mix. Why not try homemade whole wheat or homemade buckwheat noodles?

Cream Sauce for Homemade Noodles #1:

1. Melt 2-3 tbsp. butter in saucepan with 1 clove of crushed garlic
2. Brown 1 cup of sliced mushrooms (optional)
3. Whisk in 2-3 tbsp. flour.
4. Add 1 can of chicken broth
5. Stir until thickened and reduce heat
6. Whisk in 1 cup of cream or can milk
7. Season with freshly grated pepper, salt to taste, and a dash of parsley or fresh dill

Ladle over homemade pasta noodles and dust with freshly grated Parmesan.

Cream Sauce for Fresh Pasta #2

Melt 2-3 tbsp butter in a pan, whisk in 1-2 tbsp flour, add 1-11/2 cups of milk, simmer, stirring until thickened. Add 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese.

Top homemade noodles with sauce and, if you have them on hand, garnish with finely chopped chives and cooked crumbled bacon.

A platter of homemade pasta is a hit at any dinner table and is a nice change from the usual dinner fare.

Use one of the noodle recipes above. Roll noodle dough out into a large thin rectangle on floured counter.

Now, instead of slicing noodles into thin strips, use your pizza cutter and cut dough horizontally and vertically, basically an X's & O's pattern. You will have flat, thin squares, which make nice wholesome soup noodles. Drop these into homemade soup and enjoy! Flat square pasta is great for Italian-style dishes.

Get creative with your homemade pasta and plan to make interesting shapes. Cutting your noodles on the diagonal will result in diamond-shaped noodles.

Homemade Pasta

Making Fresh Pasta

Authentic Italian Homemade Pasta

How to Make Perfect Pasta

Fresh Pasta With Eggs

How can you Make Noodles?

How to Make Fresh Pasta

How to Make Homemade Noodles like Grandma use to Make

How to Make Egg Noodles

Making Noodles (using a pasta machine)

• MACARONI AND CHEESE--noodles smothered in crispy cheese

• PERFECT PIZZA CRUST--tender and crusty

• EASY CHEESY SCALLOPED POTATOES--crunchy and oh-so-good tasting

• BEST BARBEQUE SAUCE--a great-tasting sauce that can be used on beef, chicken or turkey, and on tofu

• BEST EVER BISCUITS--golden mile-high biscuits

• YORKSHIRE PUFFS--puff up magically and can be filled with gravy or jam

• MUSHROOM GOULASH--one of the best-tasting quick dinners

Enjoy hearty homemade bread fresh from the oven: whole wheat, white, and every variety in between, using this wholesome, versatile bread recipe: Hearty Homemade bread

Perfect, tender dumplings everytime. Great for topping stews and homemade soup. So nice on a cold day: Delicious dumplings

You can create a page like this and earn ongoing royalties. Please share your ideas and knowledge with the rest of us.

*If you enjoyed this Hub, please share with others by Facebooking or Twittering it! And please give it a thumbs up.*