Make the dough manually
- In a large bowl, mix flour and water; gradually add water, stirring to distribute the liquid evenly while stirring the flour.
- Combine the flour into a dough ball. It doesn’t need to be smooth at this stage. Cover then leave to rest for 30 mins.
- Knead again for about 3 mins. It will become smooth very easily.
Use a stand mixer with a dough hook, and mix and knead for approximately eight minutes on low speed. After 30 minutes of rest, move directly on to the next step.
NB: The dough will soften over time, so I don’t advise resting it for more than an hour. Although it might be simpler to roll out a less firm dough, it sticks easily. Additionally, cooked noodles typically have a soft texture.
How to roll the dough
Transfer the dough onto a sizable cutting board or straight onto the kitchen countertop. Roll the dough from the centre outwards. To get an even thickness, turn and flip as often as needed.
Do not forget to frequently dust the work surface and the dough with flour. This will prevent sticking thus making rolling much easier.
Try splitting the dough into two pieces and working on one at a time if you find it difficult. With practice, you’ll be able to roll a bigger batch.
The dough sheet’s thickness is determined by your rolling ability and personal preference. Around 2 mm (⅛ inch) would be a good choice. Please be aware that after cooking, the noodles will swell.
The general workflow
Below is an overview of the procedure before I go into detail about each step. From beginning to end, it takes 40–45 minutes (including the passive resting time).
- To make a dough, mix flour, water, and salt; let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough into a thin sheet.
- Fold the sheet then cut into narrow strips. Unfold and loosen the noodles.
- Cook the noodles in boiling water.
