Family Chow Hall

Spaetzle

February 18th, 2006

These easy-to-make homemade noodles were a big hit with this family. Spaetzle (pronounced spot-sel, I believe) is an old-world quick type of egg noodle.

I served it with Gerschnitzeltes, (recipe for that coming up soon) and realized they would make a good side dish for any saucy dish that is usually served over noodle, rice, or mashed potatoes. I’m thinking of turkey with gravy and beef stroganoff specifically.

Besides their good taste, it’s fun to serve foods that remind us of our roots, our heritage. I can imagine a German family enjoying the same meal together 200 years ago. The more things change, the more they stay the same….

Spaetzle
serves 4-6 / prep. time: 15 minutes / cook. time:10-20 minutes

2 1/4 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 to 3/4 c. water

Start by combining the salt and flour. Use a fork to stir the egg in as much as you can. Next add the water, a little at a time, until you have a stiff and somewhat smooth dough. Place it on a floured board and knead it slightly. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Now pat or roll it out and then use a knife to scrape bits or little noodles off the edge. You will drop these into the boiling water — let them boil for 5-8 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon. You may have to do several batches, since you cannot get all the spaetzle in the pot at the same time.

Now you have two serving choices. You can serve them immediately, or let them cool a little and fry them in butter. I choose to go the extra step and fry them. I used butter, a little dried chives, and parmesan cheese. They disappeared quickly.

Guten Tag!

Entry Filed under: Bread, Old-Fashioned Foods, Philosophy, Recipes, Side Dishes, Supper