Homemade Udon Noodles

Udon is a type of Japanese wheat noodle. The thick, chewy strands can be served in hot soup, eaten cold with dipping sauce, stir-fried or simply sauced. When adapting Sonoko Sakai’s udon formula from her book, “Japanese Home Cooking,” we found that the brand of flour used and relative humidity can impact how much water is needed to make the noodle dough. For best results, the dough should be on the dry side and should contain just enough moisture so it holds together shaggily; if needed, work in more water 1 tablespoon at a time, but err on the side of dry rather than wet. With resting and kneading, the dough will hydrate and become smooth, silky and elastic. The classic way to knead dough for udon is to stomp on it by foot, a good—and fun!—way to develop strong gluten structure; we put the dough in a doubled heavy-duty plastic bag before stepping on it (without shoes, of course) to ensure everything stays clean. If you find the dough is difficult to roll because of its elasticity, allow it intermittent rests. You can alternate between the two pieces, rolling one while the other relaxes. Do aim for a ⅛-inch thickness so the noodles aren’t too thick; they expand when boiled. Unlike most fresh noodles, this udon requires lengthy cooking—about 15 minutes of boiling—to attain the correct texture.