Tonkotsu Ramen #2: Noodles

This is the second step in making a great Ramen - homemade ramen noodles.

Very easy to make, this recipe gives you smooth, tasty, tender noodles. A much better option in comparison to the ones you buy in stores.

They can be used immediately, prepared a day ahead or even dried out for future use. Whichever suits you the best!

This is a part of a longer post: Tonkotsu Ramen

1. Intro
2. Soup Stock
3. Noodles
4. Meat
5. Toppings

Homemade Udon noodles

Here's what you can do while your soup is boiling: Prepare the noodles and the meat!
First thing first - homemade udon noodles

Serves: 4 portions of noodles
Difficulty: moderate
Total time: 30' (with pasta maker), 40'-50' (without)

Ingredients:

- 400 gr of all purpose flour
- 180 ml of lukewarm water
- 1/2 ts of salt
- sprinkle flour

The easiest way to make noodles is by using a pasta maker, which you will use to roll the dough several times up to size 3. Then using the pasta maker's cutting roll, you will cut the sheet into your noodles.
If you don't have one it will take you a bit longer, but no worries can be easily done.

1. Mix the flour with the salt soaked in water in a bowl. Smoothen the lumps and form into a ball. Take it out from the bowl and kneed it by pressing it strongly with your palms.

2. Form it into a ball, place in a plastic bag, cover with a towel and let it rest for 20'. (You can store it like this for 24h max in the fridge, just fold the bag in two and press the dough until flat. Close tightly).
3. Sprinkle some flour on your working area.
IF YOU HAVE A PASTA MAKER
• Take it out from the bag, fold it three times and knead into a cylinder. Cut into 4 equal pieces, sprinkle some flour over it and prepare your pasta maker on size 6, flat rolls. Sprinkle some flour on your roll to avoid sticking.

• Take one piece and flat it out. Using your free hand to help yourself, roll the dough out, nice and evenly until.
• Once done, fold twice and roll it again. Repeat two more times. Sprinkle some flour if necessary, to avoid sticking on the pasta maker.
• Repeat that on size 5, then down till size 3. Which in my opinion is the best thickness for noodles.
• Try your best to get a nice, even sheet of pasta. The more it looks like a rectangular, the best your noodles will look like. All even in length.
• Repeat the procedure with the other three pieces of dough left.
• Now use the cutting roll, which will cut the dough in strips. Use the wider or thinner one, according to your taste, but remember to sprinkle the sheet with flour before cutting, it will avoid sticking.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PASTA MAKER
• Take it out from the bag, fold it three times and knead into a square. Using a roll now flatten the dough until thin.
• Sprinkle a bit of flour, fold it back in a square and roll it out again. Repeat the process a couple of times.
• Flatten the dough until you reach the desired thickness. (shouldn't be more than 5mm)
• Sprinkle some flour over the sheet and using a knife cut out thin strips. (up to 1 cm)

4. Set the noodles aside.
5. These noodles need only a few minutes (up to 3') of cooking in boiling water.
6. Just remember to wash them with cold running water, and remove any excess water before adding them to your ramen bowl. Any residual water will ruin (weaken) the taste of your ramen.

TIPS:
• If you're planning on making noodles in advance, sprinkle some more flour right before cutting them. This will assure they don't stick together. You can cover them with plastic wrap, or place them in a tight container and keep them in the fridge up to one day. You can also spread them evenly on a heavily floured surface, and let them dry out for a day. Once dried, keep them in a dark and dry place, airtight.

Previous step: Soup Stock --- Next step: Meat