Rye–Aronia Buckwheat Noodles with Hazelnut Oil Sauce

Rye–Aronia Buckwheat Noodles

with Hazelnut Oil Sauce, Forest Mushrooms & Shaved Parmesan

A deep, earthy, quietly ecstatic noodle dish

Buckwheat has always belonged to the forest. Long before industrial wheat, it sustained mountain cultures and cool climates—cuisines that valued bitterness, minerality, and balance over sweetness. Aronia belongs to that same lineage. Dark, tannic, and powerful, it behaves less like a fruit and more like a structural ingredient—closer to tea, cacao, or red wine than to berries meant for snacking.

In this dish, aronia is incorporated directly into the noodle dough itself, not added later as a sauce or garnish. Used with restraint, it deepens the buckwheat’s earthiness, subtly darkens the dough, and brings a quiet bitterness that makes the noodles feel substantial and savory. Hazelnut oil provides warmth and aroma. Mushrooms echo the forest floor. A generous shower of shaved Parmesan brings salt, fat, and umami—rounding the dish into something deeply comforting and complete.

This is not novelty food.
This is lineage food.

Serves

2–3

Time

Dough + rest: 45 minutes
Rolling & cutting: 20 minutes
Cooking & assembly: 15 minutes
Total: ~1 hour 20 minutes

Part I: Rye–Aronia Buckwheat Noodles (From Scratch)

About the Aronia Powder

You may use commercial aronia powder, or make your own by finely grinding dried aronia berries (such as those offered by Viroqua Aronia Co.) in a high-speed blender or spice mill, then sifting to remove coarse pieces. The powder should be fine and dry, not gritty.

Ingredients

• 1 cup buckwheat flour

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup whole-grain rye flour

• 1 tablespoon aronia powder (do not exceed)

• ¾ teaspoon sea salt

• ½ cup warm water (approximate; humidity matters)

Method

1. Mix the Dry Ingredients
   In a large bowl, whisk together buckwheat flour, all-purpose flour, rye flour, aronia powder, and salt.
   The mixture should appear muted mauve-gray—subtle, not purple.

2. Hydrate the Dough
   Add warm water gradually, mixing with chopsticks or a fork until a shaggy dough forms.
   Knead gently by hand for 2–3 minutes until smooth and firm. The dough should feel resilient, not sticky.

3. Rest
   Wrap dough tightly and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This allows full hydration and relaxes the gluten just enough for rolling.

4. Roll & Cut
   Roll dough thin (about 1–2 mm) on a lightly floured surface.
   Fold gently and slice into noodles about ⅛ inch wide.

5. Hold
   Dust lightly with flour, cover, and set aside while preparing the sauce.

Part II: Hazelnut Oil Sauce & Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 8–10 oz mushrooms (chanterelle, morel, shiitake, oyster, or cremini), sliced

• 1 tablespoon hazelnut oil

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 small shallot, very thinly sliced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon aronia juice

• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon honey (for balance, not sweetness)

• 2–3 tablespoons reserved noodle cooking water

• Fresh black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Cook the Noodles
   Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a gentle boil.
   Cook noodles for 2–3 minutes, until just tender.
   Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain and briefly rinse (important for soba-style noodles). Shake dry.

2. Build the Sauce
   Heat a wide skillet over medium heat. Add hazelnut oil and butter.
   Sauté shallot and mushrooms until softened and lightly browned, 5–6 minutes.
   Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

3. Glaze
   Add aronia juice, tamari, honey, and a splash of noodle water.
   Simmer briefly—this is a light glaze, not a reduction.

4. Finish the Dish
   Add noodles directly to the pan and toss gently, adding more noodle water as needed until glossy and coated.

To Serve

• Divide noodles into shallow bowls.

• Finish with a generous handful of shaved Parmesan (this is essential, not optional).

• Add freshly cracked black pepper and, if desired, a few thyme leaves or chives.

The dish should look quiet, grounded, and intentional—never busy.

Flavor Profile

Earth • Forest • Wine cellar • Autumn kitchen
Comforting without heaviness.
Savory without excess.

Cook’s Guidance (Important)

• Do not exceed 1 tablespoon aronia powder in the dough.

• Do not sweeten the sauce further.

• Let bitterness and fat do the work—this is restraint cooking.

Why This Recipe Matters

This dish reframes aronia not as a supplement or novelty, but as a structural culinary ingredient. When folded into dough, aronia behaves like cacao or tea leaf—something you build with, not sprinkle on.

It’s the kind of recipe that quietly changes how people understand the berry—and how it belongs in a real kitchen.