Noodles Sauted in Butter

Ranhofer assumes you have already made and blanched fresh egg noodles from an earlier entry in this chapter, so this reads as a finishing method rather than a full recipe. The whole point is contrast: soft boiled noodles given a crisp, buttery surface.

• "Blanched" here means boiledIn this chapter blanching noodles means dropping fresh egg dough noodles into salted boiling water until just tender, then draining. They should still be slightly firm, since they get a second cooking in butter and a third in the oven.
• Fresh, not driedThe Epicurean's noodles are a rolled egg dough cut into ribbons, closer to fresh tagliatelle than to boxed pasta. Dried egg noodles work but absorb butter differently and brown faster.
• How much butterNo quantity is given. For a pound of cooked noodles, 3 to 4 tablespoons is enough to coat them without leaving a pool in the pan; use a wide skillet so the noodles are in a shallow layer rather than heaped.
• "Drained" after sauteingThe line puts "drained" after the butter, which most likely means tipping off excess fat so the noodles brown rather than fry in the oven; it could also be read as simply draining the blanched noodles. Either way, too much fat in the dish tends to leave the top layer greasy instead of crisp.
• Oven heatFor slight browning, 400-425F for 8 to 12 minutes, uncovered, in a shallow gratin dish. A broiler works if watched, though noodle ends catch quickly.
• SeasoningSalt and pepper only, per the original. No cheese is called for here, whatever later buttered-noodle versions may add.
• YieldAs a side dish, a pound of cooked noodles serves four to six alongside roast meat or game.