ABSTRACT
A large, wooden work surface or a table top; a regular rolling pin; a special rolling pin 25 inches long and ¾ inch in diameter (a wooden curtain rod or dowel rod may be used).
Place the all-purpose flour and the cake flour in a mixing bowl and blend. Make a hollow in the middle and put the eggs and salt there. Mix these ingredients with your fingertips. Gradually combine the flour with the mixture in the hollow. Work the dough with your hands to form a cohesive dough. Place the dough on the lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic The dough should not stick to your hands and should be fairly stiff. If it is too soft, place some flour on the work surface a tablespoon at a time and knead it into the dough. Divide the dough into 2 portions; shape each into a ball; cover with wax paper; and let it rest 1 or 2 hours. The longer it stands, the easier it will be to roll out the pastry.
Place 1 piece of the dough on the work surface. Using a regular rolling pin, roll it into a circle as large as a dinner plate. Dust the work surface and the surface of the pastry with some flour. Take the special rolling pin; wrap one edge of the pastry around the center of the pin. With a slight back-and-forth motion, press gently and continuously toward the ends of the pastry and of the rolling pin, gradually moving the rolling pin forward, so that the whole piece of pastry is wrapped around it. At the same time, repeatedly move your hands toward the ends of the rolling pin and quickly bring them back to the center. As your hands move toward the ends, let the heels of your hands gently pull and stretch the pastry outward. After the pastry is entirely wrapped around the rolling pin, gently flip the pastry open and loose. Now move the pastry slightly clockwise and start with a different edge. At every other rolling, dust the work surface and the pastry with some flour. Repeat this rolling process several times until the pastry is approximately 1/13 inch thick. Roll out the other half of the dough in the same manner. Let the sheets of pastry dry very slightly on a table top.
Using a sharp knife, cut the sheets into 2-inch-wide strips. Stack 5 or 10 strips on top of each other. Place one stack in front of you. Place the 3 middle fingertips of one hand gently over one end of the stack, ¼ inch away from the edge. Using your fingertips as a guide, cut ¼-inch-wide noodles. As you cut the noodles, move your fingertips ¼ inch back to make room for the next ¼-inch-wide cut. Continue cutting the noodles until all the pastry has been cut. These noodles can be cooked right away or may be left out to dry for later use.
To cook the noodles, take a pan that will hold at least 8 quarts of water. Bring the water and 4 tablespoons salt to a boil. Drop the noodles into the rapidly boiling water. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and cook 1 minute or so for fresh noodles and 3 or 4 minutes for dry noodles. Test frequently. Do not overcook. Drain, place in a serving dish, and toss with butter and salt. Serve immediately.
