Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Spaetzle! Easy and Delicious...

This is going to be one of those posts, I wish I hadn't put up, until I tried all these options I am going to be giving you.  But instead, I will give them to you and let you make your own choices, ya know, like big kids! :) Let me explain...

 
I have made spaetzle a couple of times.  I love it, my husband loves it, and so it goes.  I was recently introduced to a friend of my kids', Viktoria Bridges, who is married to a US soldier and lives in GA now.  She hails from Bavaria, Germany.  We just had a conversation about spaetzle 15 minutes ago.  Oh the things I THOUGHT I knew!  I served these with butter and parsley.  My husband prefers them fried before serving.  Viktoria does too!  She also told me that you can add nutmeg.  You can fry them up with onions, and then cover them in gouda cheese and put them in the oven.  She even told me she adds mushrooms!   Best I can tell is that you can do just about anything with spaetzle that you could do with American egg noodles.  In fact, I even added them to chicken soup instead of noodles once.  So allow me to give you the basic recipe and serving method.  What you do from there is limited only by your own imagination!  I served a side of gravy as well to top them off with!

Spaetzle
4 eggs
1/3 cup water (might need an extra tbsp)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper (if you don't have white pepper just omit it)
2 cups flour
Butter
1 tbsp fresh parsley
6 cups of watere or chicken stock for boiling spaetzle

In a bowl whisk together the eggs, water, salt and white pepper.  Use a spatula and mix in flour, mixing until the dough is combined.  It should be sticky, not runny, or to stiff.  Just a sticky dough.  Set the dough aside.


In a large (ish) pot, bring 6 cups of water OR chicken stock to a boil.  If you choose to use plain water, make sure to salt it well. 

Using the spaetzle maker, load dough into the holder and begin moving the maker back and forth.  You can also use a colander and using a spatula, push the dough through the holes of the colander.  If you have a grater that will work use that instead of a colander.  You may have to load them up more than once but continue until you have used all of your dough. 


When the spaetzle rise to the top, they are done!  It is that fast and that easy!  Drain them and put into a serving dish, add butter and parsely and toss.  You are ready! 

Try this, you KNOW it is time to change up the same old humdrum sides and have spaetzle!  You will be so glad you did!  You can thank me later.

Your "spaetzle is my new norm" chefwannabe

5 comments:

  1. interesting to see this post today...I bought a spaetzle maker at a thrift store last week,but not quite sure how to use it...I would like to try to make the gluten free....but we shall see :)
    Thanks......

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  2. First experienced Spaetzle about 10 yrs ago at a German Deli. They do make the Chicken Spaetzle Soup. I've made it many ways except the Gouda...oh, you know what I'm making this weekend! Thank you.

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  3. I've always wanted to try Spaetzle! I think you have given me the incentive to try!

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  4. Awesome!!! I pinned it and can't wait to try. I was always afraid to try it and now I have no idea why.

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  5. love, Love, LOVE this! I'm soooooo glad you had the conversation with your Bavarian friend! The first time I tasted Bavarian "Kaesespaetzle", I thought I had died and gone to Heaven! Typically, they are loaded with cheese and sauteed onions.... a meal in themselves, along with a small green salad.Thanks! xoxo

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