Steph from Stephfood was our Daring Cooks’ July hostess. Steph challenged us to make homemade noodles without the help of a motorized pasta machine. She provided us with recipes for Spätzle and Fresh Egg Pasta as well as a few delicious sauces to pair our noodles with! Mandatory Items were: Prepare some pasta by hand, without the use of motorized tools, and prepare the appropriate sauce/seasoning to go with it. The concept of “noodle” or “pasta” is being applied very loosely here, as some traditional recipes may seem closer to a dumpling than what you consider a noodle. Use your own judgment and creativity here.
This month’s challenge was all about getting your hands dirty or more accurately floury lol. Steph challenged us and encouraged us to submit examples from our own cultural backgrounds on making pasta or noodles that are cooked or served with a sauce. The first thing that came to my mind is Shish barak, which is basically a pasta stuffed with minced meat and herbs and cooked in a yogurt sauce. I know that the idea of a yogurt sauce might seem really strange but it is a staple in middle eastern cooking. Yogurt or “laban” is used as a sauce in many recipes, we cook green beans in it, stuffed zucchini and kubbeh (small pockets of bulgur stuffed with minced meat and nuts).
The yogurt sauce makes a wonderful creamy and slightly tangy background to anything cooked in it. If you have never tried it before it is really worth a try. Your taste buds will be pleasantly surprised.
For the dough
2 cups flour
1 egg
dash salt
Water
Stuffing
250 grams minced meat
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 green onion finely chopped (optional)
5-10 springs mint
1-10 springs parsley
drizzle of olive oil
salt
pepper
cardamom
Yogurt sauce
2 liters greek yogurt
dash salt
drizzle olive oil
Mix the ingredients for the stuffing, set aside
To make the dough
In a bowl whisk the salt with the flour, make a well in the middle
add the egg and using a fork start mixing the egg with the flour gradually.
When the flour has taken up the egg, add water little by little until you get a firm dough (I used 1/4 cup water)
Roll out the dough untill it is a few mm thick (don’t use flour to roll the dough, use parchment paper or spread some oil on your working surface. If you use flour , some of it will be on the surface of the pasta and when you put the pasta in the yogurt the extra flour will thicken the sauce too quickly. That will not give enough time for the dough or the stuffing to cook)
Stuffing
Using a small cup or any round shaped thing cup circles out of the dough
Place some stuffing into the circle them close it to form a crescent, make sure you seal the dough well (pinch the edges together several times)
take one side of the crescent and fold it over the other to form the shape you see in the picture
Cover the ones you finish with a clean cloth until you finish the rest
To make the yogurt sauce
Beat the yogurt with a drizzle of oil and a dash of salt in the food processor or blender until it becomes liquid and smooth
Pour the yogurt into a pot, add the leftover stuffing to it.
on medium heat stir the yogurt none stop until it comes to a boil.(if you stop stirring the yogurt sauce will split into two layers, if than happens you have to beat it again and then reboil it)
How to cook the pasta
When the yogurt comes to a boil, start adding the pasta one by one while stirring gently
Once you have added all the pasta leave it to cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally
You will notice that when the pasta is cooked through it will float to the surface.
Pour into serving plate and decorate with chopped mint and some fried almonds
Enjoy
Thank you Steph for a wonderful challenge, and if you want to check out other pasta creations by my fellow daring cooks please visit www.thedaringkitchen.com and prepare to be amazed 
Roberta
/ February 5, 2013Hi Sawsan, I tryed to prepare Shish barak but … yogurt became very curdled and I had throw everything. Maybe I have to add 1 egg or dash or maizena?
Sawsan@ Chef in disguise
/ February 5, 2013Hello Roberta
Sorry about the yogurt, that usually happens if you do not stir the yogurt continuously during cooking. You could have saved it by blending it again in your food processor or blender then place it back on the heat and stir none stop until it boils.
If you are worried you could add one egg that you beat really well to the yogurt when it is cold before you start cooking it. Again you have to stir none stop until the yogurt boils
Roberta
/ February 6, 2013Hallo Sawsan, Thank you for your kind reply, yes, I stirred continuosly, too I used food processor but after a while it became again curdled, but maybe this happened because I didn’t used plain yogurt (cause I didn’t find in supermarket) but light yogurt … Anyway don’t worry, I will try again. About dumplings they are axcellent!! I’m italian and we call them “tortellini”. Ciao, I saved you site in my favourite.
LAYLA LOVES FOOD
/ June 3, 2012Thank you, it looks awesome
Sawsan@ Chef in disguise
/ June 4, 2012Thank you Layla
Karen
/ July 17, 2011Hello, I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your blog. The stuffed pasta looks delicious. Every recipe that I have ever seen says not to let yogurt come to a boil. Thank you for the lesson. I will be returning often as all of the dishes that you have made sound so good.
thefooddoctor
/ July 17, 2011Karen you made my day with your sweet words
thank you so much and I hope to hear from you more often
Maureen
/ July 16, 2011I commend you for all this work! This is a gorgeous dish and I love the flavors. I really enjoy making and rolling pasta so it’s a must-try for me.
thefooddoctor
/ July 17, 2011Thank you so much Maureen
My mum usually makes this for me but this was really fun to make, the kids loved helping with the dough
sensiblecooking
/ July 16, 2011That defiantly is lot of works and getting your hands dirty but so worth it.
thefooddoctor
/ July 17, 2011it is really yummy and worth the effort
Thank you for stopping by
Anonymous
/ July 15, 2011Very impressive! I’ve never made my own pasta before! Your detailed post is wonderful and I love all the flavors and creamy sauce!
thefooddoctor
/ July 17, 2011it is easier than it seems and totally worth the effort
DalmatiaGourmande
/ July 15, 2011I just love your homemade pasta dish!
thefooddoctor
/ July 17, 2011Thank you so much
kitchenbelleicious
/ July 15, 2011Love this pasta creation! the photos make the dish even better- they are simply amazing. I love the flavors you are working with. I have never had this before but so looking forward to it! Thanks for another great recipe and have a great weekend
thefooddoctor
/ July 17, 2011Thank you for your sweet comment..I really appreciate you taking the time to visit my blog
Good Cooks
/ July 15, 2011Now my taste buds are in hyper, haha …sawsan this is from your laban and shish barak, my very favourite dish, I guess all palestinians are the same too. very good idea, and it’s really working well, as the dough resemble the italian pasta version.
Now I feel that I was mistaken when I told my hasband I don’t want to go to jordan this year hahah, because at least if I did , I will invite my self to your house.
By the way, how is the heat this year in jordan, is it too hot like the last year?
Oh Sawsan last year when I was in jordan, it was very very hot, I never remember jordan with these hot degrees before like the last year, thats why I didn’t want to go this year, but sobhanallah, the last 2 weeks here in america it was above the 100 f very very hot, even it reached one day 111 f, it was a record.
I guess the hot days became not an option at all and everywhere, hot or hot, haha…
thefooddoctor
/ July 17, 2011It was horribly hot last year! you are right..this year is a little better..I really wish you had come ..it would have been great if you could’ve met
Jo
/ July 15, 2011These look so good, and I always have greek yogurt in the fridge. I think I know what is next up on my homemade pasta list!
thefooddoctor
/ July 18, 2011I know it sounds strange but it is really worth a try Jo
Geni - Sweet and Crumby
/ July 14, 2011How yummy! I love this yogurt sauce and your pasta looks DIVINE!
thefooddoctor
/ July 18, 2011Thank you so much Geni
Wendy Irene
/ July 14, 2011I like how you used a tea cup to cut out circles in the dough. Smart idea!
thefooddoctor
/ July 18, 2011You work with what you have
monkeyshines
/ July 14, 2011Wow! This dish looks fantastic! I love the combination of the lamb dumplings with teh yogurt sauce. We’re definitely going to try this one of these days!
thefooddoctor
/ July 18, 2011Thank you..I owuld love to hear what you think when you do
blepharisma
/ July 14, 2011So great! I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing this with us!!
thefooddoctor
/ July 18, 2011Thank YOU so much for an amazing challenge Steph
I loved every minute of it
Jenni
/ July 14, 2011Wonderful job!! Your pasta looks fantastic, and I think its awesome that you used a dish from your heritage. It looks amazing and delicious!
wizzy
/ July 14, 2011I need to challenge myself one day to make pasta from scratch. The sauce looks divine.
thefooddoctor
/ July 14, 2011Thank you so much Wizzy..it is really worth a try
Rasha
/ July 14, 2011One of my favourite dishes ever! Simply gorgeous photos as well
thefooddoctor
/ July 14, 2011Thank you so much my friend
Melanie
/ July 14, 2011I’m fairly certain I could get my picky-eater husband to eat this. It looks wonderful, and I love that you cook the pasta in the sauce instead of water!
thefooddoctor
/ July 14, 2011I really hope your husband will like this ..and the yogurt sauce really adds alot to the dish
Thank you for stopping by Melanie
Nami @ Just One Cookbook
/ July 14, 2011I am always impressed by people who take the challenge! This dish is new to me, but it was fun reading how you prepare it. What kind of minced meat is good for this dish? Cooking in yogurt is VERY interesting. I never heat up yogurt before (I think). Different cultures use different methods of cooking and I think it’s SO MUCH FUN learning about it. Before I start blogging, I probably didn’t know 10% of what I learned so far about other cuisines. I’m much more comfortable and willing to try new dishes in restaurants and multi-cultural parties. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
thefooddoctor
/ July 14, 2011I totally agree..I am learning so much everyday. In fact this is part of what I love about food blogging
Holly
/ July 14, 2011Woo, I completely forgot that today is posting day. I joined last month!
I thought it was the 17th for some reason – but now I think about it I think that is the day you get the new challenge… ah I’m silly!
Great post, I like your use of yogurt too!
Am I ok to post my challenge tomorrow a day late?
thefooddoctor
/ July 14, 2011Thank you Holly
I had my dates mixed up all the time when I first started..it is not silly at all
If you can’t post on the 14th you need to write a post in the forum saying you will be posting late in July
Looking forward to checking out your post
sheila @ Elements
/ July 14, 2011I’m definitely making this…maybe next week. I love making my pasta from scratch without any tools. I love having my hands in the dough and shaping it. And there’s nothing better than fresh pasta made with love.
You did a wonderful job making yours, and I’m hardly waiting to try your recipe! It looks wonderful!!
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe! 
Cheers! sheila
thefooddoctor
/ July 14, 2011I love working with dough..it is a great way to vent stress
thank you so much for your kind words about my recipe..I can’t wait to hear your feed back
Sarah
/ July 14, 2011That looks lovely and very interesting. I think the yogurt sauce would go perfectly with the meat filling. I love the picture of all the little pouches ready to be cooked.
ChefMom
/ July 14, 2011Congrats on a great homemade pasta! This looks really good. It reminds me of the Russian pelmeni we made. The idea of a yogurt sauce sounds good on the pasta too. I had some on stuffed grape leaves today – yum!
JamieAnne
/ July 14, 2011You are one brave woman! Very impressive.
Shelley C
/ July 14, 2011That looks absolutely delicious! I have never heard of Shish Barak before, but after seeing these pictures and reading your post, I really want to give it a try. Wonderful job!
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide
/ July 14, 2011What a cool take. I would’ve been automatically been reaching for the marinara. I love your yogurt sauce. This looks just amazing.
Maris(In Good Taste)
/ July 14, 2011I love creamy sauces and usually try to avoid them for obvious reasons but this is a perfect alternative!
chicaandaluza
/ July 14, 2011How wonderful – rather like middle eastern tortellini! Am just making a couple of litres of yogurt, so maybe I should give this a go…