Egg Noodles (Rezanci)

When I set out to make homemade egg noodles to go along with the chicken paprikash in my Week 11 Dinner, I felt as though I was channeling my grandmother. 

I used to watch her roll out noodle dough on the wooden table of her little kitchen in Cleveland.  She made it look so easy. I was fascinated by the tiny, even yellow filaments she created.

My three vintage cookbooks all offered multiple recipes for noodles.  The ingredients were simple: eggs, flour, salt, sometimes a bit of water.  The proportions varied a little.  As  I suspected, the secret wasn't in the ingredients.  It was all a matter of the technique.

I followed the directions of the Progressive Slovene Women.

2 eggs
1 1/4 c. flour
1/4 t. salt

Beat eggs.  Add flour and salt. Knead dough until soft and pliable, adding a bit more flour if needed.  Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.   Roll out on a floured board as thin as possible. Let dry for an hour.

Cut dough into four sections and put one piece on top of the other.  Roll up into a tight roll. Cut into 1/4 inch slices.

Unroll.  Spread noodles on towel to dry.

Cook in boiling salted water or broth for 15 minutes.  Drain, add a little oil or butter, and serve.

The verdict?  The noodles were good.  But they were a little thicker than I might have liked.  I had a problem with the dough sticking together, when I tried to cut that four layer roll.  I  had to pry the noodles apart!  Next time, I may add more flour or increase the drying time.  And I'll make sure to roll the dough thinner.

But it was worth the effort.  And I figured I'd have the chance to perfect my technique in future dinners, considering the Slovenian penchant for dumplings and noodles.

Slovenian Dinner Week 11: Chicken Paprikash with Egg Noodles

Menu
Chicken Paprikash (Kokošli Paprikaš)
Homemade Egg Noodles (Rezanci)
Green Salad

After Week 10's struklji, I was ready for something a little less adventurous.

Chicken paprikash is familiar to most Americans.  It is another one of those Slovenian dishes with Hungarian origins.

The Progressive Slovene Women offered a straightforward recipe along with the proper Slovenian name: kokošli paprikaš.

I made just a few adaptations.  Instead of a whole cut up chicken, I used chicken breasts. I browned the onions and paprika before adding the chicken, not after.  I used light sour cream, just because it was on hand.

The other change was unplanned.  I ended up using more flour to coat the chicken than the single tablespoon the recipe suggested.  That is probably why the sauce was a little heavier than we would have liked.


3 lb. chicken breasts (bone in)
salt to season chicken
flour to coat (1-3 T.)
2 T. oil
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 T. paprika
1/8 t. cayenne
1 1/2 c. hot water
1/2 c. sour cream

Cut up chicken pieces, salt them, and coat with flour.  Brown onions and paprika and cook until onions are golden.  Add the chicken and brown on all sides.  Add water and cayenne, cover and simmer 1 hour or until done.  Mix in sour cream five minutes before serving.

Serve with dumplings, mashed potatoes, or broad noodles.


I decided to make homemade egg noodles, a dish I associated with my grandmother.  All three of my vintage cookbooks offered recipes.   In Slovenian, they are called rezanci, I learned.

Those noodles were  the real adventure of this week's dinner.  The ingredients are simple: eggs, flour, a bit of salt, water.   It's all in the technique.  So  I'll devote a separate post (with photos) to the noodles.