02 September, 2008

Spätzle is so easy to make and is what's cooking!

What is this you may ask? A spaetzle maker! I know it may seem wrong to import a spaetzle maker from the U.S. to Switzerland. It was actually bought in Munich Germany a long time ago by an LDS missionary. I just inherited it and thought I would try it out!

It does not look like a lot but holy moley!
It made a lot!
I have always heard horror stories about making spaetzle over boiling water. It was so easy!
Here is the finished product with Speck gravy (bacon gravy basically)

There is a website with a really cool maker called the Spaetzle Wizard or in Deutsch Spaetzle Hex! My Mom sent me the recipe from their website!

Spaetzle (Spätzle) Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used flour just for spaetzle) next time I will do 1/2 spaetzle flour and 1/2 all purpose

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

Stir together the flour and salt. Combine eggs and milk; stir into the flour mixture. Pour the batter into the Spätzle Hex and place it on the lip of a large saucepan or pot (with a diameter of at least 20 cm or 8 in) of boiling, salted water. Turn the crank with one hand, keeping the Spätzle Hex gently in place with the other.

Take care to let the extruded pieces of dough (the Spätzle) fall into the slightly bubbling water and let them cook for approximately 2-3 minutes. Generally, Spätzle swimming on the surface are sufficiently cooked and may be gathered with a large slotted spoon, drained and placed into a serving dish. Stir in some melted butter to keep the Spätzle from sticking together and garnish with some bread crumbs. Makes about 4 cups of Spätzle, which is sufficient as a side dish for 2-3 people.

Serve with nearly any meat dish. Spätzle is great with gravy, sauces or just plain.


I also read on one of the websites I was looking that it also has really great flavor if you boil it in chicken or veggie broth. Jarrod said he did not know what 2-3 people that fed as a side dish but it made a lot! Oh ya, I doubled the recipe because I always make way too much gravy!

It can also be used in a mac & cheese recipe. I have had it with sauteed onions and cheese as a side dish. Yummy! Chicken Spaetzle soup? The options are endless.

Guten Appetit - Jenna

1 comment:

sher said...

Jenna,
I hope you are still blogging. I found this while looking for recipes for Spaetzle.
I bought (I know) noodles at the store and made an awesome pork dish with fennel, onion, shallot and just enough harvati cheese to melt it together into something gooey and good.
Pork seasoned with mustard, worchestershire and... of all things... greek seasoning with the veggies sauted in there... wow. I guess beer would have been more "authentic" but I didn't know how strong the fennel would be when cooked. I also browned the noodels a bit to firm them up a bit... silly store bought things.
I was inspired by a kasespaetzle pic my cousin sent to tease me into a visit in Germany.