Fresh Egg Noodles with Scallions and Paprika
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: About 1 hour; 20 minutes with premade noodles
The noodles are the star here, especially if you make them yourself. But if you can find good-quality Amish-style dried egg noodles, feel free to use them, thereby turning a special-occasion dish into an everyday treat.
Salt
2 bunches scallions, including a couple inches of the green parts
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 recipe Fresh Egg Pasta or 1 pound dried Amish-style or other thick-cut egg noodles
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Cut the scallions in half lengthwise, then crosswise into slices about 2 inches long.
Put the butter and scallions in a deep skillet over medium heat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the scallions are soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in the paprika and cook until just fragrant, about a minute, then turn off the heat.
Add the fresh or dried noodles to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes for fresh noodles and about 10 minutes for dried. Rinse and drain well. Turn the heat under the scallion mixture to medium-high and add the noodles to the skillet. Cook, tossing gently to coat the noodles, until everything is hot and the noodles start to sizzle. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve immediately.
6 Ways to Jazz Up Fresh Egg Noodles with Butter
If you don’t want to go the scallions-and-paprika route, simply heat a tablespoon or two of one of the following ingredients with the butter while it melts in Step 2. Then just proceed with the recipe:
- Fresh herbs, like tarragon, rosemary, or thyme (a little) or basil, chervil, dill, or parsley (a lot)
- Minced fresh garlic
- Curry powder (to make your own, see Hot Curry Powder)
- Poppy seeds
- Cider or malt vinegar
- Golden raisins or dried blueberries
