Barbara Kafkas Buckwheat Noodles Recipes

BUCKWHEAT NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, ginger, honey, tamari, sesame oil, and chili sauce in a large bowl until combined. Slowly whisk in the canola oil until the dressing is emulsified.
• Add the noodles, carrot, pepper, cucumber, green onions and cilantro. Gently mix to combine and serve.

BUCKWHEAT PASTA

Steps:

• Food-processor mixing recommended, following the directions on page 160.
• Pappardelle with Long-Cooking Savoy Cabbage, Bacon, and Mushroom Sauce (page 138)-a wonderful winter pasta.
• A tomato-based sauce, such as Mushroom Ragù (page 141) or Slow-Cooked Summer Tomato and Eggplant Sauce (page 259).
• Do not smother the pasta with too much sauce.
• A few spoonfuls of chopped walnuts lend marvelous texture and flavor to buckwheat pasta. Use about 1/3 cup of finely chopped walnuts for 1 pound of pasta; see below, for details on incorporating nuts into dough.
• Hand-cut lacce.
• Dress with Butter, Fresh Sage, and Walnut Sauce (page 120). For convenience, chop up the walnuts for the sauce when you're processing the nuts for the dough, but leave them larger, in 1/8- to-1/4-inch nuggets.
• Ground nuts can be incorporated into pasta doughs with great success. Try the ones I give here-walnuts in buckwheat dough, and hazelnuts in ceci dough-and experiment with other combinations, using almonds and pecans too. Follow these guidelines whenever you are adding nuts:
• For a 1-pound batch of dough, start with a generous 1/3 cup of whole nuts (or halves) to get 1/4 to 1/3 cup of ground nuts. First toast whole nuts lightly in a dry pan to bring out flavor. After they have cooled, pulse them in a food processor into tiny bits, smaller than 1/8 inch. This will take only 1 or 2 seconds-don't grind them into a powder. Pick out any remaining larger nut pieces; crush them smaller-or eat them.
• Mix the dough by hand or food processor, as usual. When you turn it out for final kneading, spread the dough into a small rectangle and sprinkle the nut bits on top. Fold the dough over the nuts, and knead as you would normally, distributing the nuts well, until it is smooth and shiny; then let it rest.
• To roll a dough with nuts using a pasta machine: Divide the dough in quarters and roll each piece slowly, at the widest setting, twelve times, folding and turning between rolls. Then roll through narrower machine settings. If you see any nut pieces that are making the dough tear, remove them. If a strip does tear, fold it over and reroll at a wider setting to repair it. Roll the dough as thin as possible (it will never be as thin as plain dough, however).
• Cut any dough with nuts by hand, crosswise, into lacce, or shoestrings (page 168). Or fold the strips and cut lengthwise to form pappardelle, as shown in the photos on page 166.

BARBARA KAFKA'S BUCKWHEAT NOODLES

Steps:

• 1.)In a small bowl, combine half the beer, the yeast, and 2 tablespoons of the buckwheat flour. Stir to make a sponge, cover, and let rise in a warm place for at least an hour. 2.) Stir in the rest of the buckwheat flour, the white flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the beer. Use only enough beer to make a soft but firm dough. You will probably not use the whole 1/2 cup. Cover again, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. 3.)Divide it into quarters and roll it out by hand or in the pasta machine. Don't hesitate to flour the dough if it seems sticky as you work it. Cut into medium-width noodles.

BARBARA KAFKA'S LEMON CURD

Steps:

• Place butter, sugar, lemon juice and zests in an 8-cup glass measure or a 2 1/2-quart souffle dish. Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap. Cook at 100 percent power in a 650- to 700-watt oven for 4 minutes. Prick plastic to release steam.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Whisk together eggs in a small bowl. Whisk about 1/4 cup of the butter mixture into the eggs to warm them. Scrape egg mixture back into measure, whisking constantly. Cook uncovered for 3 minutes.
• Leaving dish in oven, whisk until smooth. Cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes more. Remove from oven and puree in a food processor or blender until completely smooth. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

SESAME STEAK & BUCKWHEAT NOODLE BOWLS

Steps:

• Heat a non-stick griddle or frying pan over a high heat. Season the steaks with salt and rub with a little oil, then griddle on each side for 2-3 mins. Set aside, covered in baking parchment, to rest.
• Meanwhile, cook the noodles following pack instructions, then leave to rest in a bowl filled with cold water.
• Heat the sesame oil in a wok over a medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for 1 min, then add the spring onions and pak choi, and stir-fry until they begin to wilt. Add the honey, vinegar and miso, then toss in the noodles and sesame seeds. Divide between four bowls. Slice the steak and place on top of the noodles, sprinkling over extra sesame seeds, if you like.