Old-Fashioned Potato Noodles

“Back then the women were creative in the kitchen because they had to be - just to feed their families! We cannot even comprehend what they had to do, we think of it though. We must always remember how lucky we are.”
— Helen
 
 

I think it was probably a Russian or German thing. It seems like all those people that came over and there was a lot of them, they all did noodle stuff, so we did too.  

MAKES

4-6 servings

TOTAL TIME

Prep: 30 min.  Cook Time: 20 min. 

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 cups flour
  • 6 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2-1/2 cups water
  • 2 medium potatoes skinned and cubed
  • 3-4 tablespoons lard
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 can dices tomatoes 

METHOD

In a large bowl,  combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in the 2.5 cups of water and combine together with your hands. Adjust the dough if it's too stiff or too sticky by adding a little more water or a little more flour.  Remove dough from bowl and knead well. Split into 4 parts.

Heat up a dutch oven - a pot with the bottom covered in about a half inch of water plus 2 heaping tablespoons of lard. Keep the heat at medium.

Begin pulling small pieces of dough off (2 inches) and rolling them between your hands. Cover the bottom of the hot pot with dough noodles followed by a layer of potatoes. Work quickly, you want to get the lid on as soon as possible. Continue alternating between noodles and potatoes until all of the dough is gone. Place the lid on the pot and don't open it. Wait for approx. 20 mins.

While the noodles are cooking, prepare some cooked onions. Dice an onion and cook it with butter in a small sauce pan. Do not over cook them.

When the noodles are done, they will have a slightly fried smell and you'll hear them bubbling away inside the pot. Turn the heat off. Remove the lid and add the onions, breaking up the noodles and the potatoes as you go. Try to scrape the crispy bits off the bottom, these have the most flavour! 

Serve warm with diced canned tomatoes, ketchup or sour cream. 

Do not eat for 1 week once finished :)