Hand-Pulled Noodles

Instructions

1. Step 1

   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Drizzle in 1 cup room temperature water, stirring with a rubber spatula until absorbed. (The dough will be very dry and shaggy.) Turn the mixture onto a clean surface and knead until the dough is smooth, 10 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, knead the dough in a stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook, on medium speed until smooth, 5 to 7 minutes.) 

2. Step 2

   Lay a 12-inch-long piece of plastic wrap on the work surface and brush it lightly with oil. Transfer the dough to the plastic and wrap well. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. 

3. Step 3

   Lightly brush a baking sheet with oil. Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and divide it evenly into two pieces. Place one half on the work surface and divide it again into two pieces (make sure the other half is wrapped so it doesn’t dry out). Using a rolling pin, shape each piece into a roughly 12-inch by 4-inch oval, about 1/16-inch thick. (For thinner noodles, see Tip.) Brush each oval with a little oil, then gently transfer onto the prepared baking sheet, oiled-side down. Lightly brush the tops with oil. Lay another sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the dough. Divide the remaining half of the dough and repeat the process. Let dough rest on the counter for at least 3 hours and up to 6 hours. The dough should be very relaxed and droopy. 

4. Step 4

   Once the dough has rested, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over low heat and cover so the water doesn’t evaporate too quickly. Lightly grease another baking sheet or a large platter. On a clean work surface, working with one oval of dough at a time, cut each crosswise into 6 strips. (If the oval stretches out a bit because it is very relaxed, that’s fine.) Pick up the end of one strip, and leaving the other end on the work surface, and gently pull it until it is at 2- to 2½-feet long and about 1-inch wide. (Don’t worry — the noodles will look very thin, but they will expand once cooked.) Lay the noodle on the prepared baking sheet, folding it in half as necessary to fit. At this point, it’s OK to lay the strands of noodles on top of each other. 

5. Step 5

   When the first batch of noodles is formed, return the heat under the pot to medium-high. Place a colander over a large bowl near the stove, and set aside another large bowl for the cooked noodles. Once the water is simmering, add the noodles. Using a pair of chopsticks, immediately stir to separate. Simmer for 2 minutes and transfer to the colander with the chopsticks. (The noodles should have a slightly chewy texture.) Rinse the noodles under cold water to stop the cooking, shake the colander to rid the noodles of excess water, transfer them to the large bowl and drizzle with a little oil to prevent sticking. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces. (To avoid having to refill the pot with water, reduce the heat to low in between batches; just make sure it’s boiling once the noodles are added.)

6. Step 6

   The cooked noodles can be stir-fried, tossed with a sauce or served in a soup. If opting for the latter, just pour the hot broth over the noodles when ready to serve to prevent overcooking.