This is a simple chewy noodle recipe perfect for ramen, based on the Serious Eats base recipe with some tweaks from Ramen Lord’s book. These noodles will start out very shaggy, but will come together after resting.
Scale the ingredients by weight (using the percentages below) if you need more or less noodle.
Mechanic
Sodium carbonate (baked baking soda) makes the dough alkaline, which is what gives ramen noodles their characteristic chew, yellow tint, and springiness, as opposed to a soft Italian-style pasta. At about 36% hydration this is a stiff, shaggy dough that only comes together with rest and lamination, not extra water.
Ingredients
- 380 g all-purpose flour
- 20 g vital wheat gluten
- 4 g salt (1%)
- 6 g sodium carbonate (1.5%), baked baking soda
- 145 g water (36%)
Method
Combine the flour and gluten in a large bowl. Dissolve the salt and sodium carbonate in the water.
Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the water mixture. Stir together with a fork until things start to stick, then blend with a pie dough blender or cutter, then with your hands.
Spread the shaggy dough on plastic wrap, press it into a wide, flat “board”, and wrap tightly. Rest in the fridge for 24 hours, or on the counter for 20+ minutes.
Cut the dough into 4 portions and use a rolling pin to flatten each enough to fit in your pasta maker. Carefully fold and repeat 2–3 times, focusing on laminating in one direction to encourage long gluten strand development. Let rest again, wrapped tightly.
Work the dough further, down to the second-narrowest setting on your pasta maker. Switch to a cutting blade and run it through to cut the noodles.
Toss the noodles in flour (or starch) and store in sealed deli containers or similar. Freezes well, lasts at least a few days in the fridge.
Notes
- Sodium carbonate can cause burns, so keep it out of your eyes and wash up after working with it.
- These noodles cook quickly, even from frozen: no more than a few minutes.
- To try next: replace some of the water with egg white.