We started with durum and rye flours. We combined 700 grams durum and 300 grams rye in our Arcobaleno AEX18 pasta extruder. We weighed out 300 grams of water for 30% hydration and started mixing. We have found that durum flour, a finer grind of semolina, absorbs more water than straight-up semolina. Rye flour, too, absorbs more water than our standard 30% hydration. As we mixed the flours and water in the machine, we increased the water in 10-gram increments, 1% at a time. The final noodle took an additional 60 grams, 6%, to achieve the perfect streusel-like texture for beautiful noodle extrusion. We used a macaroni die with a wall thickness of 1.2mm, #126. The extruded noodles were firm and satiny. We let them air dry for an hour and then put them into zip-top bags in the refrigerator. The noodles cooked up with a firm bite and silky texture. We ate our first bowlful with a quick sauce made with rough-cut tomatoes, smoked soy sauce, and butter. The simple bowl of noodles was delicious. And in retrospect, almost a BLT in a bowl.
About the Author
