Nourishing and satisfying, noodle recipes were brought to America via the Dutch and Germans. Later, an array of dishes from Russia and Hungary appeared. Noodle kugels, or baked noodle puddings, are traditionally served on the Jewish Sabbath.
In recent years, a diverse selection of noodles from Asia has become available. Pan-fried noodles, ramen noodle soup, lo mein, and Pad Thai dishes are moving to the mainstream in the American diet.
Note that this world of noodles is not pasta. From linguine to lo mein, from soba to fettuccine, from Pennsylvania Dutch and German specialties to Hungarian dishes, every noodle has a unique recipe.
However, All About Pasta & Noodles (Scribner) by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker uses "pasta" to refer to the Italian version, and "noodles" when referring to eastern European and Asian dishes.
The Food Lover's Companion (Barron's) says noodles contain eggs or egg yolks, while macaroni and spaghetti do not. Usually noodles are cut into flat, thick, or thin strips.
Toth said he labels some of his noodles as fettuccine and spaghetti because the Hungarian words for those shapes are unfamiliar to American consumers.
Whether you make your own or buy homemade or commercially processed varieties, noodles cook quickly. When combined with other ingredients, those flat dried strips are wonderful in casseroles, soups, and as accompaniment to entrees.
Even newer to the American table are Asian noodles.
"Oriental noodles have more choices," says Grace Gau, an expert in Asian cooking who occasionally buys different selections at Asian food stores in Windsor, Ont. Some are made with egg, some with rice, bean, or wheat. "They have different flavors, too. Some are flavored with fish and different spices," she added.
Many varieties of Asian noodles are available. Much of the labeling is printed in Japanese and Chinese, but some English directions are on the package. If you don't understand the labels, ask a store clerk for more information.
To prepare noodles, Gau notes that "some noodles boil in a couple of seconds or in five minutes. Bean noodles soak in water. Rice noodles soak in hot water and then you stir-fry them, adding broth to make them juicier."
In northern China, cold Asian noodles are a common dish. "These have a round shape, yellow color, and you add sesame paste and sesame oil and serve it with meat or not, shredded Chinese cucumber and sesame seed," Gau said.
Bean paste enhances the flavor of noodles. "Vegetarians use bean paste and tofu with noodles," said Gau, who grew up in Taiwan. "The texture of pasta is different than Oriental noodles, which are finer."
Noodles or pasta. Take your pick. Mix and match.
We think of chicken noodle soup as being made with egg noodles. Soup (Simon & Schuster) from Williams-Sonoma includes the recipe for Chicken and Soba Noodle Soup made with chicken stock, one boneless chicken breast, eight ounces dried soba noodles, 1/4 cup miso, one teaspoon grated fresh ginger, two cups packed baby spinach leaves, and sliced green onions.
Sweet Pepper Stir Fry on Rice Noodles is reminiscent of a northern Chinese dish with the sesame oil and fresh ginger. Cook the rice noodles according to package directions.
Noodles that are long and uncut symbolize longevity in the Asian culture. They may be eaten hot or cold.
Soba is a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat and wheat flour, which gives a dark brownish-gray color. Udon is a thick Japanese noodle similar to spaghetti, which can be round or squared and made from wheat or corn flour.
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