What to make with just Flour and Water?

Simple cooking ingredients - let's start with just a plain wheat flour and water - What can we make?


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If you could convert the flour and water to sourdough, that would give you acidity to react with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to make quick bread or crackers. A little salt and you might make real bread. If you had some fat then there are a whole raft of other baking opportunities.

Do you need much extra in the way of ingredients, or can flour and water make good food?

Flatbreads/naan
fry bread
if you have a solid fat (preferably lard), flour tortillas
Noodles or dumplings, if you can add an egg or egg substitute
If you can add butter and a couple eggs, pâte a choux, and with some cheese, those can also be turned into gougeres.
Crackers

Dumplings? Brilliant on a nice soup.

noodles (hold the baking soda) would be my first choice. Flour and water plus time gives some fabulous stretchy noodle options.

dumplings for soup would be another good one.

Tereza Okava wrote:noodles (hold the baking soda) would be my first choice. Flour and water plus time gives some fabulous stretchy noodle options.

Oh, would pasta be an option too? Does that have to be special flour?

Nancy Reading wrote:

Tereza Okava wrote:noodles (hold the baking soda) would be my first choice. Flour and water plus time gives some fabulous stretchy noodle options.

Oh, would pasta be an option too? Does that have to be special flour?

I make hand pulled noodles and udon with plain old bread flour (we don't have a lot of flour options here, it's white or whole).
https://omnivorescookbook.com/hand-pulled-noodles/
(if you can add salt, this recipe is flour, salt, water and oil to coat the pasta while it rests)

https://www.justonecookbook.com/udon-noodles/
(flour, water, salt)

for most Asian noodle recipes, the technique makes the difference-- kneading time, resting time, and occasionally water temp have huge impacts.

And if you can add an egg or two, you can make spatzle.

By dumplings, I was thinking along the lines of the bumpy, flat, wide type that my very southern grandmas used to make, for chicken&dumplins. They're excellent in other soups & stews, too - but my grandma's both put them in with chicken. If dumplings the way my Nana (wonderful step-grandma) made them, those would need the baking soda, to get their fluffy, puffy light spherical shape.

On the other hand, I think a filled dumpling could also be easily made, with the addition of an egg or buttermilk - and, if course filling, like apples, corn, etc.

Carla Burke wrote:By dumplings, I was thinking along the lines of the bumpy, flat, wide type that my very southern grandmas used to make, for chicken&dumplins. They're excellent in other soups & stress, too - but my grandma's both put them in with chicken. If dumplings the way my Nana (wonderful step-grandma) made them, those would need the baking soda, to get their fluffy, puffy light spherical shape.

At risk of getting off topic-- as someone who never saw a dumpling of this type til I was maybe 30,  which kind (round and fluffy or flat and wide) go better in which kind of setting, in your opinion? I grew up with matzo balls, but the preferred texture in my house was chewy, not fluffy, think "dodgeball". the flat and wide dumplings intrigue me!

I honestly love both types in everything, lol. BUT - the flat ones are a bit more work, because they have to be rolled out, cut, and left to rest about 10 - 15 minutes, to hold together better, when dropped into the broth. The poofs are simply scooped out of the mixing bowl and dropped in. So, for me, it depends on my mood, my level of wistfulness & nostalgia for my grandma's dumplings, and my energy levels. The poofy ones are fluffy, light, and fun, and I really do enjoy them. But, those flat ones... they get these yummy bumps, and they're chewy and dense and so filling... They're definitely worth it, when the stars align.

Flour water, plus a little bit something, eh?


First instinct, salt.  Makes everything taste better to me.  There is a bread we can cook on a flat pan with flour, water, and salt.  It's one of those unleavened (sp?) Kinds.

Secind instinct, sourdough.   Flour, water, salt, and time.

Third thought leavening agents like baking soda, baking powder, yeast... a bit of salt and fat and now we have biscuits for stovetop or oven.

And maybe some eggs and a smidge of sugar and we have pancakes.  The best cakes of all!

Pasta!

Flour, water and salt.

Or add an egg for egg pasta!

Ah found it.  I knew I had made pasta with just flour and water.  It's super simple and I can't wait to try it again (but maybe a pinch of salt next time)

According to this video, we don't even need a bowl.



He has several shapes we can make.  some simple.  The one that uses what looks like a butter paddle tasted the best when I was playing with this kind of pasta.

Also, it says fancy flour and that's the most delicious, but it works with what North American's call All Purpose flour just as well.  Not so good with everyday flour in England - something called bread flour or pasta flour seems better.  

MAKES 400G/14OZ, ENOUGH TO SERVE 4

280g/10oz fine semolina
pinch of salt
130g/4½oz warm water
Place the semolina in a large mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt and pour the warm water all over it. Combine with a fork – it will soon look like a crumble mix – and start to form the dough into a loose ball with your hands.

As soon as the dough has come together well, turn it onto a board or clean work surface and start to knead until it is elastic and smooth, which will probably take about 10–15 minutes. Use the heel of your hand and push away from you, then use other hand to turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat.

Form the dough into a flat disc, which will make it much easier to roll out later. Wrap it tightly in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, though for this vegan dough you can actually use it straightaway – it all depends how hungry you are!

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:Dumplings? Brilliant on a nice soup.

So, um... I didn't know what a dumpling was.  

After about two hours on Ducky, google, youtube... I'm still not sure I understand the concept.  

Is it fat pasta in soup?  

People seem to suggest it's something so much better than pasta.  I didn't know there were things better than pasta in the world.

Dumplings don't seem to be something I can buy in the grocery store... at least not the rural one near my home.  

So I'm going to have to make this.  

Can you point me in the right direction - dumplings for people who know not what a dumpling is?  

This is the sort of thing I call a dumpling, usually cooked for around 15 minutes on top of a soup or stew on days when you don't have any bread to dunk into it.

The simple dough resembles that of a biscuit, but instead of being rolled and baked, the batter is dropped directly into a hot liquid. The dumplings are then simmered in the soup or stew in which they are served, such as in the classic chicken and dumplings.

Taken from Easy Drop Dumplings for Perfect Soups and Stews

I think they need some sort of baking powder to make them rise though. I generally buy self-raising flour to keep things easy. I also like to add herbs or a bit of spice to them too.

Ohhh... wow.  still a bit confused, but I'm heading to the grocery store later today.  Looks like all I need is some sort of broth.

What do you think of replacement for rice/pasta in minestrone soup?  Feels like a good day for that soup.

Dumplings in my experience can be pretty diverse - in childhood, a thick dough cooked in with stew:

4oz flour, 2oz fat, mixed herbs & black pepper to taste, 1 tsp baking powder, a pinch of salt, mixed & then enough water to bind the dough.

But "dumplings" also seems to be a common English translation for a range of boiled, steamed or fried foods made of sweet or savory filled pastry or dough from cuisines around the world.

I'm not a baker, but I'm having a thought so I figure I would throw it out there for the group.

Could you be successful making noodles out of just flour and water? I figure if you knead it enough to develop the gluten before you put it into boiling water, it may stay together enough to cook? I suppose I don't know the true importance of egg as a binder and I am underestimating it's abilities!

r ransom wrote: So, um... I didn't know what a dumpling was.  

After about two hours on Ducky, google, youtube... I'm still not sure I understand the concept.  

Dumplings don't seem to be something I can buy in the grocery store... at least not the rural one near my home.  

Last bit first - my neighbor bought a dumpling equivalent of a cake mix box which totally floored me as they are about as simple as cooking gets. Maybe not in the smaller grocery stores, but the bigger ones may have a mix. Personally, if you have enough ingredients to make homemade pasta, you can make homemade dumplings.

In case anyone reading this isn't aware, bagels are made by first boiling the "donut" shape of batter. As suggested above, if you take the time to turn your water + flour into sourdough, it might be possible to make that into bagels, but most bread recipes call for at least salt, and many call for a bit of sugar. (My no-kneed sourdough bread uses no sugar.)

Dumplings at their most basic, are "batter" dropped into "boiling water masquerading as soup." So maybe the next time I make soup, I should try adding some bits of my sourdough batter and see what happens?

I know people who adore dumplings, and people who'd rather just have noodles in their soup.

However, actual "Dumpling Recipes" from my 3 usual sources all call for extra, although common ingredients. I will post 2 of them here to enlighten all readers...

Dumpling 1 I have made these
1 Cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
Mix everything but the milk in a bowl until crumbly, stir in the milk to make a soft dough, drop by spoonfuls onto boiling stew, cover and simmer 15 minutes without lifting the lid, serve.

Dumpling 2 - called "Pasta Dumplings" - I have not made these.
2 eggs
1cup flour
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
Beat eggs slightly with a spoon, add flour, milk and salt and mix. Drop tiny bits (1/2 tsp each) into simmering soup. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
This sounds a lot like spaetzle made in soup instead of just a pot of boiling water.

Timothy Norton wrote:Could you be successful making noodles out of just flour and water? I figure if you knead it enough to develop the gluten before you put it into boiling water

Yes, you can. You can make stretchy pulled noodles Chinese style with just flour and water.

r ransom wrote:Ah found it.  I knew I had made pasta with just flour and water.  It's super simple and I can't wait to try it again (but maybe a pinch of salt next time)

According to this video, we don't even need a bowl.

He has several shapes we can make.  some simple.  The one that uses what looks like a butter paddle tasted the best when I was playing with this kind of pasta.

I always thought you needed special equipment to make pasta, but he just uses a wooden board, his hands, and simple equipment like knives and forks. I'm going to have to try this! I'm sure I can find a corrugated board to make parrallel lines on like the wooden paddle he has.
I found a great thread on home made pasta here too!

Pasta was rich people food when I was growing up.  There was an Italian restaurant in town, but not in our budget.   For some reason, in that town, mostly greek food was affordable and delicious.

I was surprised when I made friends with someone from Italy and when they offered to cook dinner, they were offended i wanted to eat pasta.  Apparently that's not rich people food, that's peasant food.  Long lecture and we ended up eating pasta (pasta of prostitutes?) because there's no time left to cook.  Pasta fried in olive oil with garlic, chili, anchovies!   Best meal of my life!  And they made the pasta from scratch with a rolling pin...then cut into fettuccine with a knife.  No pasta maker or fancy tools!  

And complaining all the time I made them eat peasant food not fit for a dog.

If that's what dogfood tastes like in Italy, I figure heaven must be somewhere in Italy. So delicious!

Burra Maluca wrote:This is the sort of thing I call a dumpling, usually cooked for around 15 minutes on top of a soup or stew on days when you don't have any bread to dunk into it.

The simple dough resembles that of a biscuit, but instead of being rolled and baked, the batter is dropped directly into a hot liquid. The dumplings are then simmered in the soup or stew in which they are served, such as in the classic chicken and dumplings.

Taken from Easy Drop Dumplings for Perfect Soups and Stews

I think they need some sort of baking powder to make them rise though. I generally buy self-raising flour to keep things easy. I also like to add herbs or a bit of spice to them too.

These are the type my (German) Nana always made, and I love them. The roll & cut ones are quite different. They're rolled to about 1/4inch thick, and cut about 1.5inches wide, and about 2 - 2.5 inches long.  When dropped into the broth, they thicken up to about 3/8 inch, and are chewy and maybe even a little... gummy? It's hard to explain - but these are the ones my (Southern USA) grandmas both made, and that elicit so many memories for me. I made both for my kids, as they grew up, and I'm not sure any of the kids can decide which way they like them best.

These LOOK just like the ones my grandmas made, but my grandmas didn't use this recipe, at all. https://thesouthernladycooks.com/chicken-dumplings/

My grandmas' recipes for it were almost identical to one another's, but don't lend themselves well to a written recipe. And, neither added salt or pepper to the dumplin' dough, because they seasoned the broth so well that it flavored the dumplin's, too. Their 'recipe' would go something like this:

Start your chicken to cooking, don't forget the salt and *plenty* of black pepper.

Dump a pile of flour in the bowl (said bowl would be huge - wide and shallow, and roughly 4 cups of flour), and make a well in the middle. Crack in an egg and start bringing some flour into the egg with your mixin' fork (this was bigger than a dinner fork, but smaller than a serving fork and might have only 3 tines - I use a polish whisk). When you get about half the flour brought in, put in some broth (this was usually about a 4oz size ladel full), and keep mixing it all in, til it's raggedy-lookin'. Dust the table with some flour, and dump the dough out, to knead it a few times. (This was just enough to make sure it held together). Let it rest with a towel over it, about 15 minutes, while you debone the chicken.
Uncover the dough, and if it's too sticky, dust it with some more flour. Then roll it out to about that thick (about 1/4inch) then cut it into pieces, like this. (About 1.5×2 - 2.5 inches). Let 'em rest, while you mix up your biscuits. Once the biscuits are in the oven, start droppin' the dumplin's into the pot. Stir 'em gentle, so they don't stick together, and when they all come back up, they're ready. Put the meat back in the pot, get the biscuits out of the oven, and call everybody to the table.

(Welcome to the only time I've ever written out a cooking lesson with my Grandma Helen & Grandma Janie. Enjoy)

I messed up dumplings.

Back to pasta for now.  I'll try dumplings again in the winter weather.

r ransom wrote:I messed up dumplings.

Back to pasta for now.  I'll try dumplings again in the winter weather.

I think you might be overthinking it; Dumplings are basically pasta cooked and kept in broth; they are just a different shape.  I prefer them smaller rather than larger, and sort of have the consistancy of potsticker dough, which I love!  The 1/2 tsp. dough balls would be just about right.  If you make a batch of pasta dough, you're already there!  As a kid, my mom would sometimes serve us Campbell's chicken and dumpling soup and boy, I loved the dumplings.  She never made dumplings from scratch, but I have because of those memories! I don't know if they still make that soup or if they've kept the recipe the same...hmmm.