Moon & Stars Noodle Soup

I can’t remember the last time I prepared pasta. The first time I made it from scratch was back in 2009, but it wasn’t the gluten free kind. Despite that, there was something therapeutic and magical about making pasta from scratch. Why I don't make it more often is beyond me.

July’s Gluten Free Ratio Rally, hosted by the lovely Jenn of Jenn Cuisine, was pasta. I was so bummed to miss out, especially since noodle making seemed like the perfect challenge for an aspiring gluten free cook like myself.

Most gluten free pasta is made with rice or corn, though it’s usually the former. Sometimes you find quinoa or buckwheat, but it can be rare and rather expensive. In fact, I’ve wanted to work with soba noodles, the Japanese-style noodle that is part buckwheat, and I found a gluten free version that cost eight dollars. Eight dollars… for eight ounces.

Is it me, or is that just ridiculous?

Actually, I feel that most gluten free pasta (heck, most products) is absurdly priced. And when you make it from scratch, it is not only fresher but also more economical for you.

I’ll be honest; working with fresh pasta was difficult for me. I’m used to knowing when dry pasta is done after boiling in water. Mine seemed al dente after cooking, but I think that had more to do with the buckwheat and not cooking it long enough. Next time I’m going to try various flour combinations, but I think this was a great start.

Buckwheat Pasta Dough

9 oz Buckwheat flour
6 oz Eggs (Or 3 eggs and 1 egg yolk)

Combine the flour and eggs in a food processor (or by hand) and pulse until a ball of dough is formed.
Remove from the food processor and place it onto the counter, forming the dough into a manageable disk shape.
Wrap it in plastic and let it rest for an hour in the fridge. (Can be refrigerated for 24 hours and frozen for up to a month.)
Cut into four equal pieces, around 3.75 ounces, roll them to the desired thinness, and cut.

 

Moons & Stars Noodle Soup 

1 c. Chicken broth
2 c. Filtered water
1/2 Yellow Zucchini, shaved into long “noodles”
1 Carrot, shaved into long “noodles”
1 Celery stalk, shaved into long “noodles”
1 Shallot, halved and thinly sliced
1 Garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 – 2 tsp Ginger, finely chopped or shaved
2 oz Turkey deli slices, torn into manageable pieces
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
3.75 oz Buckwheat pasta, rolled out thinly and shaped with moon and star cookie cutters
1 tbsp. Olive oil

Fill a medium-sized saucepan with water halfway (with the olive oil), and place it on medium-high heat for the pasta.
In another saucepan, add all the ingredients except for the pasta on medium-low heat.
Roll out the buckwheat pasta dough thinly, and cut into moon and star shapes with a cookie cutter.
When the water has come to a boil, cook the pasta until soft.
Pour the soup into one or two bowls depending on the meal and top it with the noodles.

Makes up to 10 noodles. Serves 1 or 2 people.