This week, we were inspired to make halushki, by a recipe Kristie Lee shared. While the term was new to us, it is similar to something served at Odyssey of the Mind tournaments held in Berwick, PA, an event very familiar to our family. Cabbage, noodles and onion seem to be the heart of this dish, but we added bacon at Kristie’s recommendation, and we used homemade noodles because we didn’t have any egg noodles in the pantry, and because homemade noodles are the bomb. I’m sure our ratios are “noodle forward,” but the result was so good that we plan to work it into our regular rotation.
The homemade noodle recipe is from Mennonite Girls Can Cook, and has become a family favorite. These noodles are delicious, but have reached a legendary Holy Grail kind of status in family lore. Why? Because years ago, Phil found a perfectly formed dinosaur shaped piece of pasta on his plate, and he found it extraordinary. We thought we’d never hear the end of it. In true Phil fashion, he now eats these noodles slowly and contemplatively, searching for another elusive dinosaur sighting. Ben and I wolf them down. The Late Jurassic is so 150+ million years ago.
Halushki with Homemade Noodles
1/2 pound bacon
1 onion, chopped
1 head cabbage, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon butter
Sour cream to serve (optional)
4 eggs
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups flour
- Fry the bacon over medium heat. While it fries, prepare onion and cabbage. When bacon is crisp, remove it to paper towel lined plate and add onions to bacon grease. When translucent, add cabbage and salt, and cook while you make the noodles (maybe 20-40 minutes, covered or uncovered, depending on your preference.) We cooked our cabbage about 30 minutes on medium low, uncovered.
- Combine eggs, water and salt in mixer bowl using a fork. Add flour to bowl, attach dough hook, and mix on lowest speed until thick dough forms and cleans the side of the bowl.
- If you have a pasta maker (or attachment for your mixer), divide dough on floured surface into 8 pieces. Shape into flattened pieces with your hands and then put them through the thickest setting. Dust both sides or resulting oblong shape with flour, and then cut into short strips. (When you want long noodles, roll dough starting with the short side, then cut through spiral. Lightly toss with your fingers to uncoil pieces.)
- If you don’t have a pasta maker, then you better have muscles, or a taste for thick noodles. Roll the dough into as thin a sheet as you can with a rolling pin. The dough is really thick and hard to roll. Cut into 8 long rectangles, dust with flour, stack two rectangles, and cut through both pieces, making short 1/4 inch noodles (maybe 2-4 inches long).
- Cook noodles for about 3-4 minutes in boiling, salted water. Taste one, and if they are cooked to your liking, drain in colander.
- Spread the cabbage and onion to the edges of your pan, and add butter to the middle. When it is melted, add noodles and stir to combine. Crumble bacon and add, stirring to combine. Remove from heat and serve with dollop of sour cream, if that’s how you roll.
It should be noted that this dish veers from the recipe I was given, and I don’t claim authenticity. Maybe I should call it HaLizKi?
This dish was a winner all around. We also plan to do it as a less labor-intensive meal when we have egg noodles in stock. Thank you, Kristie Lee!
Tony and I made Halushki quit often. Ours was cabbage, butter, Italian hot sausage, salt and pepper. We didn’t mix the noodles with the cabbage etc. Everyone preferred to get their own noodles and then put on the cabbage mix. Steven and Danielle love it. I am asked to make it for them. I make it for me and send over a Tupperware full for Steven and family. I make it for Danielle and family when I visit them in Philly.
It seems like there are a million different variations! I’m sure your family loves your version. Please say hello to Steven for me. I still think of him as a fourth grader in my class, but I know he is grown with his own kids now!