Mimi's Chicken Noodle Soup

This is an old family recipe and it's definitely a family favorite around here!  It's rare that we have a meal of which everyone (even the baby!) requests second helpings.

Mimi's Chicken Noodle Soup
for the noodles:
1 1/3 c all-purpose flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt

for the soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
2 celery ribs, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 white onion, diced
1 small baking potato, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
6-8 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (or you can substitute a store-bought rotisserie)

For the noodles, add flour to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer.  In a small bowl, combine eggs, water, oil and salt.  Pour liquid into the flour and mix with a spoon until a dough forms.  With the bread hook attachment, "knead" the dough for about 10 minutes.  (Alternatively, you can do this with your hands if you don't have a stand mixer - I'm sure that's what Mimi did originally!)  Cover and let rest an hour.

Meanwhile to start working on the soup, place a large pot over medium-low heat and heat oil or butter. Add celery, carrots, and onion and cook 6-8 minutes, or until vegetables are softened and onion is translucent.  Add the garlic, potato, thyme, salt and pepper and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant.  Add chicken broth and let simmer while you finish working on the noodles.

After an hour, roll the dough out on a floured surface.  (If the dough keeps shrinking, let it rest another 10-20 more minutes.)  Roll dough out to about 1/8-inch thick and use a pizza cutter to slice into noodles.  Let the noodles dry out another 30 minutes.

Once the noodles have dried, add them and the chicken to the soup.  Cook another 10-20 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked through.  If the noodles are chewy, let them cook another few minutes.