Lo Mein Noodles

INGREDIENTS

(Makes 1.6 lbs of Noodles)

• 450 g 1 lb of all-purpose flour
• 4-5 large-size eggs
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/3 cup of cornstarch to prevent stickiness

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the salt and all-purpose flour thoroughly. Bread flour is the best to make noodles because it has a higher protein content. Lo Mein noodles are full egg noodles. Egg contains lots of protein, which improves the texture of the dough, so it is ok to use all-purpose flour in this recipe.
2. Crack 4-5 large eggs into the flour and knead for 10 minutes or until a smooth and non-sticky dough forms (if using a KitchenAid, run on medium speed for 10 minutes). Every egg and brand of flour is different. Suggest using 4 eggs first and reserving one on the side to adjust the texture. To check if the dough consistency is correct. Use a clean and dry hand to grab a piece of dough and squeeze tightly. Then release; If the dough falls off immediately, the consistency is correct; If the dough sticks to your hand, add more all-purpose flour to adjust.
3. The next step is to roll the dough into sheets. I am using KitchenAid. Cut the dough into a few manageable pieces and flatten each piece so they can go through the machine easier. Put on the pasta roller attachment. Let the dough go through the machine; start with the thickest setting. It will come out rough with a jagged edge. Just fold the sheet in half and feed it through the machine a few times until the surface is smooth. Then gradually lower the thickness and continue to feed the sheet through the machine until it reaches your desired thickness. For lo mein noodles, I normally use level 3 on this Kitchenaid as the final thickness.
4. Apply a generous amount of cornstarch on the sheet. Using wheat flour only prevents the noodles from sticking for a short time because gluten tends to connect to each other. Cornstarch doesn’t contain any gluten, so it will separate the noodles for a long time.
5. Switch the attachment to the noodle cutter and feed the sheet through. Coat the noodles with more cornstarch so the cut surfaces don't stick to each other. Due to the egg content, these noodles can only stay good in the fridge for 2 days, but you can freeze them for up to 6 months.