That title is making you wonder isn't it? Do the Amish have secrets? Well, I can tell you one thing for sure, they have cooking secrets! Near the top of my, "things I miss" about the east coast is the Amish Markets. We used to go to the one in Williamstown, NJ mostly, sometimes Mullica Hill. Regardless, if you have never had the chance to visit an Amish Market, please try to in your lifetime. I don't know how to explain it. There is just a great vibe, good people, and amazing food.
On one particular day, I don't think I even remember which market we were at, but it has, or had a pet store. There were baby pugs and once I gota holdof one, there was no letting it go. I must have stood in this pet shop for 30 minutes rocking a puppy pug to sleep! There were mostly kids running the shop, but there was one elderly woman there as well, who I came to know as Nora. We struck up a conversation and I told her we were going to pick up some pasta and head home. She informed me her and daughters made this particular pasta I was wanting. I told her I was good at keeping secrets and if she wanted to tell me what it was that made it so good I would never tell a soul! She giggled and told me the secret was LOVE. I assured her I was in agreement, and she said, "but there is a thing or two we do to make it taste good too". I prepared to be wowed, to remember some complicated combination of amazing ingredients! I couldn't believe the simplicity of it all after she told me. I took this information, stored it in my "remember for all eternity" storage area and have kept it safely hidden there. Now I want to share it with you! I sensed she was a woman of great strength and was perhaps a bit stubborn. She admitted to me she never really enjoyed cooking but eventually she took to it and fed her family great meals! (her words) I think she had a little inner firecracker!
I won't go into the nasty details of how I feel about my pasta maker. I swore I wouldn't make pasta again until I had the attachment for my new mixer. To be honest, there is a cloud, made up of all naughty words, hanging over the house. Let's just leave it at that. K? Such a nice memory of Nora and such obscene words coming from my mouth while trying to keep the crank handle in, wearing steel toed shoes so when it fell out, it didn't break my toe. Oh the joy!
Now, let's get down to business! The parsley was the only herb in her recipe. I love it, but I added a the green onion, thyme and poultry seasoning and it is divine flavor!
Here is what you will need:
2 cups flour
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 egg shell of milk
2 tbspparsley
/2 green onion *or 1 tsp grated onion*
1 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp poultry seasoning
In a food processor combine 1 egg, parsley, onion, thyme, poultry seasoning, and salt. Zap it a few times until it isvery fine, pieces of herbs, almostliquefied. Pour the contents into a bowl or stand mixer bowl. Add remaining 2 eggs and flour and mix until thoroughly combine. Use your paddle attachment, hand mixer or by hand. When mixed, set aside, grab a little extra flour and get your pasta machine out or a rolling pin. Cut ball of dough into 4 pieces. Roll each through your pasta machine as thin as you like. Fold in half, and roll through again, reset your thickness and roll through, fold in half, go again and move setting. Do this until you have your desired thickness.
Lay the sheets out, it will obviously make 4 sheets, thickness depends on your taste. Let sit for 15 minutes. Using a pizza cutter you can stack them and cut at once or cut each sheet individually. If you stack them you will need to pull the noodles apart but it is much faster.
As you can see, I tossed mine into 7 cups of stock, 2 cups of chicken and called it, awesome!! If only you could taste it. YUM! If you have read any of my other blogs I may or may not have divulged I could LIVE on chicken noodle soup, yes I am serious, and no, I have not suffered any recent or past head trauma. I love it! Sometimes I put carrots and celery in, and sometimes I don't. Your choice!
One more important point. Nora told me to ALWAYS put the milk IN the egg shell, no matter if it is a small or large piece, always put the milk in the shell and then in the mixture. I don't know why, but I do it, I am not taking any chances!
Your "wish I had just bought that pug when I had the chance"chefwannabe
Chris
