Keeping Soup Noodles from Absorbing Broth
number9 from North Carolina
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RE: Keeping Soup Noodles from Absorbing Broth
Thanks for asking, Jan :-)
My paternal grampa immigrated here from Greece in 1917. Here is our family recipe :-) I make extra because the sauce and meatballs freeze well :-) Hope you all will try it and let me know what you think :-)
Tampourlos Family Greek Spaghetti & Meatballs
1 lb Hamburger
2 tbls diced onions
12 saltine crackers, crushed
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbls grated orange rind
1/4 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
28 oz can tomato sauce
spaghetti
Combine all ingredients, except pasta, and 'round' into dollar size balls. Brown meatballs in a skillet on medium heat. Transfer the meatballs, and the hamburger grease from browning them, into a baking dish. Add the tomato sauce. Bake covered for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Cook your choice of pasta "al dente" and smother with sauce and meatballs.
Serve with Greek Salad (tomato, cucumber, red onion all cut your favorite way; tossed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, crumbled Greek feta cheese and pitted Kalamata olives). Also serve with a side of feta cheese, Kalamata olives and French bread with room temp unsalted butter.
Serves 4
Post by Deeli
RE: Keeping Soup Noodles from Absorbing Broth
Have you tried cooking in a pot separate.If you want them to have some flavor, add chicken bouillon to the water. This way they have soaked up most of what,they are going to.
Post by hummm
RE: Keeping Soup Noodles from Absorbing Broth
Deeli: OUCH! But please do tell us, what is "Greek spaghetti"? Sounds intriguing!
Post By Jan (Guest Post)
RE: Keeping Soup Noodles from Absorbing Broth
Thank you all for your responses. Now I know how to prevent this from happening the next time!
Post by atruecook
RE: Keeping Soup Noodles from Absorbing Broth
Agreed with the previous posts! When I cook spaghetti I keep the sauce and pasta separate until re-heating time. I just can't resist sharing a funny story about cooked pasta because of the 'wet noodles' question. Hope it gives you a laugh :-)
When I was in my mid-twenties I gave a dinner party. The main dish was Greek spaghetti and meatballs. Anyway, by the time company left I was too tired to do the dishes so just gave them a quick rinse and set aside. In the morning I went to wash them and when it came to the pot I cooked the spaghetti in there were still a few noodles dried to the bottom of the pot. I had recently cut my fingernails (which I usually used to scape food particles with) really short.
Well, I proceeded to vigorously scrape the dried spaghetti out and guess what happened? One piece of dried spaghetti went shooting in between my thumb and thumb nail almost to the cuticle :-o To make matters worse I immediately tried soaking my thumb in water thinking it would help get it out :-o Wrong!
What happened? The spaghetti expanded and made the pain even worse :-o Talk about the old fashioned Chinese Bamboo Torture Treatment ;-) To add insult to injury once at the emergency room the nurse was giggling and asked the doctor, "How do you get a noodle out from under a nail?" I can tell you it wasn't fun ;-) It was horrifying at the moment but I laugh at my stupidity now ;-)
Anyway, noodles absorb and expand when wet :-)
Post by Deeli
RE: Keeping Soup Noodles from Absorbing Broth
Yes I agree with others who keep their noodles separate, this is an old trick. I have found if I buttered the noodles and put a bit of oil in them they so they separate easier, if they are cooked already and ready to add to the soup base.
Post By deLadyBex (Guest Post)
RE: Keeping Soup Noodles from Absorbing Broth
We NEVER add our noodles to the soup until later. We store in a separate container and only add noodles to soup once it has been reheated
The heat of the soup warms the noodles. Great soup every time.
Post By Diana (Guest Post)
RE: Keeping Soup Noodles from Absorbing Broth
I agree with Makata. I make large batches of chicken soup and freeze meal sized containers. When I'm ready to use it I add some noodles and only cook until done.
Post by Glenn'sMom
RE: Keeping Soup Noodles from Absorbing Broth
All pasta does this because the rehydration process does not stop when you stop cooking them. To prevent it you just boil enough noodles for the amout of soup you are serving and add them as you serve each bowl. I actually boil my noodles in the soup so it does absorb the broth for flavor.
Post by Makata
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