Homemade Noodle Dough

This is the basic recipe.

About 2 cups sifted flour
2 eggs
2 or 3 teaspoons cold water

Sift flour into mixing bowl or on kneading board. Make well in center. Add eggs and combine with a fork, adding spoonsful of water as necessary to form a ball of dough that is compact but not hard. Knead dough until as smooth and elastic as possible. Roll out on lightly floured board. Use the rolling pin from the outer edges toward the center, turning the board as necessary in order to achieve easier rolling. When dough is rolled evenly thin through the whole round, let stand 10 to 20 minutes in order to dry so that it will not stick together when rolled up.

Roll up lightly. Use a sharp knife to cut fine. Shake to loosen and spread noodles on lightly floured cloth. Let dry at room temperature. Store in jars when dried. Do NOT TRY TO MAKE NOODLE DOUGH IN DAMP WEATHER.

Uses for Homemade Noodle Dough:
It may be cut fine and used with clear chicken or meat soup. The dough may be cut into broad noodles and used with cheese or other combinations and for kugel. When cut into 1-inch squares and pinched together like bowknots, the noodles are called "shpaetzlen." These are used for soups and goulashes.

Noodle dough can also be used for making kreplach filled with cheese or chopped and seasoned cooked meat, liver or chicken. Rolled out dough must not be dried out before cutting into 2 1/2- to 3-inch squares for filling.

To make shpaetzlen:
Cut the noodle dough as soon as it is rolled out. Cut into 1-inch squares and pinch together with thumb and forefinger. Let dry about a half hour before dropping one by one into rapidly boiling salted water. Cook over moderate heat about 10 minutes after the last one has been dropped in. Skim out with a slotted spoon or drain thoroughly in a colander.