Homemade Udon Noodles

1. Mix 75 ml water (lukewarm) and 2 tsp sea salt in a jug until dissolved.
2. Measure 200 g all-purpose flour and place it in a large sealable freezer bag. Pour the salt water into the bag.
3. Seal the bag and shake until there's no more dry flour and the small clumps of dough have formed.
4. Rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
5. After resting, knead the mixture while it's still in the bag to form a uniform dough. Once it reaches this point, place the bag on the floor and continue to knead by stepping on it with your feet. Tip: Open the seal of the bag slightly to allow airflow and stop it from popping while you knead.
6. Once the dough is flattened and filled the bag, take it out and fold it into thirds. Place it back in the bag and repeat the process of kneading by foot and folding for 15 minutes or until smooth.
7. Push any air out of the bag and seal once more, this time resting for 2 hours at room temperature.
8. Remove the dough from the bag and place it on a dry surface. Lightly dust both sides with flour, then roll it out as thin as you can with a rolling pin.
9. Cut the dough in half (or thirds) lengthwise so that it will fit through the pasta machine.
10. Set the pasta machine to the widest setting (usually 0) and run the dough through once. Then, reduce the thickness (2 or 3) and run the dough through twice. Finally, reduce the setting once more (4 or 5) and run it through again.
11. The final thickness should be about 3mm (⅛ inch) thick. You can also roll it by hand if you don't have a pasta machine. Once rolled, cut the pieces in half horizontally so that the udon isn't too long.
12. Attach the trenette cutting blade to the pasta machine and feed the sheets of dough through. Dust with more flour if the surface feels tacky. If cutting by hand, fold the dough to a manageable size, trim the edges and slice 3mm (⅛ inch) thick.
13. Cook immediately or prepare for freezer storage. (See next set of instructions.)

How to Cook

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Place the udon in the pot and boil for 11 minutes.
2. Drain by pouring the udon into a colander, then rinse with cold water to wash off the excess starch. If serving hot, rinse once more with hot water to warm through.

How to Store

1. Divide the udon into individual portions and then gently make a ball shape without pressing the dough. Be careful not to squeeze the noodles or they will stick together. Sprinkle with more flour if necessary. Wrap with plastic wrap and store in a sealable freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month.