Try Zakarian’s simple, scrumptious soba noodles

Here is how to make this dish in the style of Geoffrey Zakarian’s new Manhattan restaurant, The Lambs Club:

• In a large pot of salted water, cook the soba noodles for 8 minutes or just until tender.
• In a small bowl combine the egg yolks and grated Parmesan cheese. Reserve.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil and add the guanciale or pancetta and cook until crispy. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat and add the crushed garlic to release its fragrance. Season the bay scallops with sea salt and saute in the pan with the crispy pancetta until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes. Remove the scallops from the pan and drain on paper towels. Add the heavy cream and cook 2 minutes or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. 
• Drain the soba noodles and add to the sauce. Add the cooked bay scallops. Turn off the heat and add the egg yolk and Parmesan mixture. Toss well to combine. The heat will cook the egg yolk. Season with the chives.

In large mixing bowl, blend flours. While mixing the flour together in a circular motion with your hand, stir in 1 3/4 cups of hot water in a continuous manner, stirring constantly to avoid lumps from forming.

Using hands, mix until all flour is moistened. Using both hands, grasp the damp flour between your fingertips, pressing the flour between your palms and letting it drop back into the bowl. Work the flour in this manner until it feels like little pebbles.

Grab a handful of flour with both hands and squeeze tightly. You will feel the flour starting to take on body. Break the handfuls of dough apart, let them drop back into the bowl and then form another two handfuls. Work the flour for about 2 or 3 minutes in the above fashion repeating until the flour begins to get sticky. This is what is called “tapping” or “blossoming” the dough.

Add the remaining water and continue working the dough by grabbing with your hands, rubbing and dropping it back into the bowl. You will notice the pebbles expanding.

Knead in a pumping fashion, exerting lots of pressure from the shoulder area. Old Japanese herbalists claim that making soba noodles is a therapeutic workout for tense muscles in shoulder, arms, wrists and hands. Work the dough until it can be formed into one big smooth ball.

Continue kneading until smooth and elastic, rolling around inside of the bowl to rid the dough of hidden air pockets.

Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and form into balls. Place in another bowl and cover with a damp cloth.

Sprinkle a large work surface with buckwheat flour and roll out a ball of dough until it is about 1/8-inch thick, making length about twice as long as width.

Lay the sheet of dough on countertop that has been lightly sprinkled with buckwheat flour. Roll out remaining balls of dough, sprinkling each sheet lightly with buckwheat flour before layering on top of each other.

Transfer the layers to a cutting board and cut the layers in half, restacking neatly. Fold in half.

To cut noodles, place one hand on dough as a guide and using sharp knife, cut into thin noodles about 1/8-inch wide. Strive to work the knife in a smooth, continuous slice for uniform noodles.

When the noodles are sliced, separate gently with your hands.

Here is how to make this soup in the style of Geoffrey Zakarian’s new Manhattan restaurant, The National:

• Slice scallion thin and reserve for garnish.
• Saute carrots, onion and celery until tender and reserve.
• Cook noodles in boiling water until tender (about 8 minutes) and reserve.
• Mix and warm the chicken stock, ginger juice, yuzu juice and white soy and season with salt to taste.
• Add the chicken, noodles and vegetables to the stock.
• Divide the soup between six bowls and garnish with the scallion and a dash of togarashi.