Description
Learn how to make delicate and chewy wonton wrappers from scratch with just bread flour, water, and cornstarch. This step-by-step guide walks you through kneading the dough, rolling it out thinly using a pasta roller, and cutting perfect squares ready for your favorite wonton fillings. Homemade wrappers ensure a fresh texture and superior taste compared to store-bought.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour (high gluten flour; can substitute all-purpose flour, but bread flour yields a chewier wrapper)
- 1 cup tepid water
For Dusting
- Cornstarch (for dusting to prevent sticking)
Instructions
- Mix and Knead the Dough: Put the bread flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the tepid water and stir vigorously with a rubber spatula until the mixture looks shaggy. Then knead the dough with your hands for about 5 minutes until it becomes lumpy but holds together.
- Rest the Dough: Place the dough on the counter and cover it with an overturned bowl. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. This resting period allows the gluten to relax, making the dough more pliable for rolling.
- Divide the Dough: After resting, the dough should be smoother and easier to handle. Divide it into four equal quarters, working with one piece at a time while keeping the others covered to prevent drying out.
- Flatten and Dust: Flatten a piece into a rough rectangle shape and roll it out slightly with a rolling pin so it can fit into your pasta roller. Dust both sides generously with cornstarch to prevent sticking during rolling.
- Roll Out Thinly: Feed the dough through a pasta roller starting from the thickest setting and gradually move to thinner settings. When the dough sheet becomes very long, cut it in half to make it manageable. Roll until the dough is nearly paper thin; on an Atlas pasta roller, this is typically setting #5. Dust with cornstarch again thoroughly on both sides.
- Cut into Squares: Trim the edges of the dough to create straight lines, then cut into 3 1/2 to 4 inch (9-10 cm) squares. These are your wonton wrappers ready for filling and folding.
- Assemble Wontons: Fill and seal the wontons immediately using water to moisten the edges to help them stick together. It’s best to assemble and cook or freeze them quickly to avoid moisture making the wrappers soggy or prone to cracks.
- Cook or Freeze: To cook, gently drop wontons into boiling water while stirring to prevent sticking. Boil for 5-6 minutes, adding cold water each time the water returns to a boil to keep the temperature steady and cook the filling evenly without overcooking the wrapper. Wontons can also be frozen within 1 hour of assembly for later use.
Notes
- Using bread flour improves the chewiness of the wrappers due to its higher gluten content.
- Resting the dough is crucial for easier rolling and a smoother texture.
- Thorough dusting with cornstarch prevents sticking during rolling and cutting.
- Do not let assembled wontons sit too long before cooking or freezing to avoid soggy wrappers and filling leakage.
- When cooking, adding cold water during boiling prevents the wrapper from overcooking and helps cook the filling thoroughly.
- Wontons freeze well—freeze them in a single layer on a tray before transferring to a bag to prevent sticking.
