Popeye: The Taste of Poverty

I grew up pretty poor, and one of the better meals I'd get to eat in my childhood was "Popeye". It's basically a hamburger soup with largeer-than-dumpling flaps of dough that you cant really call noodles. I occasionally do an upscale version that tastes like more than hamburger grease.

Don't use the Lipton Onion Soup mix, onion, or MSG if you want the original "living in a plywood shack" flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground beef
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4-1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 packet Lipton Beefy Onion Soup mix
• 4-5 cups water

Seasonings:

• MSG
• Pepper
• Nature's Seasons seasoning
• Salt
• Onion (powdered, dehydrated flakes, whatever)

Instructions:

Meatballs and broth:

1 lb ground beef is rolled into meatballs. I add msg, natures seasons, powdered onion, salt and pepper for flavor. Cook meatballs on medium heat in a big enough pot for the whole meal. Brown them on two sides. Cook out all the moisture so nothing is left but grease and cooking blood which should also brown. Once they are good and brown add 3/4 cup water to deglaze the pan and make the broth. Then add 4-5 more cups of water and a packet of lipton beefy onion soup mix. Mix it up real good and and let it boil lightly for about 30 minutes.

Dough:

2 cups all purpose flour, 2 eggs, X milk and the same seasonings you use for the hamburger minus the MSG. The milk can be replaced with water. The "X" amount varies. You're looking for a firm dough, start with 1/4 cup milk. You'll have to battle between adding more liquid and adding more flour to get the consistency you need. It must be fairly firm and elastic.

I dump the dough ingredients in a bread machine and let it do the work. I also let it warm the dough slightly when it's done. If you don't have a bread machine have fun kneading and punching. Then roll the dough out to whatever thickness you want (i prefer 1/4 inch or more) and cut your popeye noodles. When cutting them keep in mind they will pretty much double in size when cooked.

Final Step:

Make sure your hamburger onion soup mix has a solid boil going and add the popeye noodles. Do not cover the pot. Just hang out and keep an eye on them and test them until they are how you like them. I prefer al dente and firm so I go for thick noodles that aren't very floppy. Serve in a bowl with ample broth and season to taste.

Eat.

bon appetit