Macaroni Nudels (Hand-Rolled Egg Noodles)

Ingredients

• 250 grams All-purpose flour (Plus extra for dusting the board)
• 3 large Egg yolks (Using mostly yolks creates a richer noodle, as preferred by French cooks in the original text)
• 1 large Whole egg (Beaten)
• 0.5 tsp Salt
• 2 liters Clear chicken or vegetable broth (For boiling the noodles, as per the original method)

Instructions

1. 1Separate the yolks from the whites for three of the eggs. Place the three yolks and one whole egg into a bowl and beat them thoroughly until well combined.
2. 2Place the flour and salt on a clean work surface or in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour the beaten eggs into the well. Using your fingers, gradually mix the flour into the eggs until a stiff paste or dough is formed. If the dough is too dry, add a teaspoon of water; if too wet, add a little more flour.
3. 3Knead the dough firmly on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth and elastic. This is crucial for being able to roll it thinly later.
4. 4Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or cover with a bowl and let it rest at room temperature. This relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.
5. 5Flour your work surface (a marble slab is best if available) and rolling pin well. Roll the dough out as thin as a wafer. The original recipe states the best test of thinness is 'to be able to read a book through the paste'.
6. 6Let the rolled-out thin cake of dough sit on the counter to dry slightly. This prevents the noodles from sticking together when cut.
7. 7Using a sharp dry knife, cut the paste into fine threads (noodles) or use cutters for ornamental shapes. If cutting threads, you can fold the dough sheet loosely to make cutting easier, then fluff them to separate.
8. 8Bring the clear broth to a boil. Throw the noodles directly into the boiling soup. They will separate of their own accord and cook very quickly (2-3 minutes). Serve immediately.