Spätzle

 


Spätzle or Spaetzle, is a type of egg noodle that originated in south Germany. It has a soft, chewy texture, is seasoned and can be served with a variety of sauces, gravies, or simply tossed with butter and herbs. I was first introduced to this dish when I was student teaching. I taught an Advanced Food class where their final project was to chose a country and prepare a traditional meal for the rest of the class. While watching them prepare the meal, the spaetzle looked particularly interesting to me.

Tips:

Multitask - To keep everything warm, prepare the sauce and spaetzle at the same time.
 

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: 5-10 minutes

 Servings: 3 cups noodles

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon onion powder 
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Directions: 

1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

2) Mix together flour, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. 

3) Beat eggs well, and add alternately with the milk to the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. 

4) Press dough through spaetzle maker, a large holed colander or metal grater. 

5) With the colander or grater over the boiling water,drop a few at a time into the simmering water. Cook 5 to 8 minutes. Drain well. 

6) Saute cooked spaetzle in butter or serve with sauce (recipe follows). Sprinkle fresh, chopped parsley on top, and serve.


Sauce
1 cup beef broth
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons cold water 

Directions:

1) In a small saucepan, bring broth, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper to a boil over medium heat. 

2) In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water (slurry). 

3) Slowly whisk the slurry into the broth and heat until the sauce thickens. Toss with noodles.