A Passover recipe typical of the kitchens of Eastern European Jews, one still finds these noodles in traditional rural kitchens in Central Europe. Nechama Rivlin always grew herbs — on her childhood farm, in pots set by the windows of city apartments where she lived, and in the organic community garden she created in the courtyard of the President’s Residence in Jerusalem. And, they appear in many of her recipes.
Here, they are used to flavor crepes, which are cut into noodles. When making them, be sure the oil is heated to the correct temperature and that the potato flour is well incorporated in the mixture before you start frying.
The noodles are excellent in a classic chicken soup like this one from Nechama’s kitchen.
1 tablespoon fresh chives or fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons neutral oil, plus more for the pan
Preparation
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the salt, sugar, and potato flour until combined. Add the seltzer or water and the herbs and mix until combined well.
Lightly warm the oil in a skillet or microwave and add it to the batter, whisking well until combined (the hot oil prevents the pancakes from sticking to the skillet later). Set the batter aside and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
Place an 8-in / 20-cm skillet over medium heat with just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Whisk the batter well and place a scant ½ cup in the center of the skillet. Gently move the pan in circular motions so that the batter spreads and covers the bottom of the pan evenly like a crepe. The pancake should be paper thin. Cook the pancake until the bottom is dry and the top is set. Flip the pancake and cook for another minute or so. Transfer the pancake onto a plate and repeat with the remaining batter. Make sure to whisk the batter well before cooking each pancake.
When the pancakes are slightly cooled, roll each pancake and slice it into ¼-in pieces / ½-cm (or to the desired noodle size) crosswise. Separate the noodles after slicing each pancake and serve with soup or as a side dish to a roast. The noodles are best enjoyed immediately.
