Spaetzle is a type of irregularly shaped egg noodle originating from Germany. The texture makes it perfect as a side for stews (better than mashed potato!). Spaetzle tastes even better reheated, so it’s perfect to make ahead.
Servings
4 Servings
PREP TIME
5 mins
COOK TIME
20 mins
TOTAL TIME
25 mins
Difficulty
Intermediate
Wine pairing
Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio, Vermentino
Important: You’ll need a potato ricer to make this recipe. If you don’t have one, you could try a colander with very large holes or a metal grater but I’ll confess, I’ve never tried these because I don’t think they’ll work very well! It’s important that the holes are large enough for the dough to easily pass through (about 3-5mm / 0.1-0.2 inch), and far enough apart that the dough doesn’t rejoin and stick together after passing through. I use a ricer with 4mm / 0.15 inch holes that are 8mm / 0.3 inches apart.
Spaetzle is my number one choice to serve with most stews, especially anything originating from eastern Europe. My favourite pairings are:
1. Whisk the flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Tip: Use a wooden spoon or a spatula for the start of the next step. The dough will start off extremely sticky and will just stick to a whisk. You can even use the handle of the wooden spoon to prevent sticking.
2. Gradually alternate adding whisked eggs and milk to the flour, stirring between each addition. Once the dough is less sticky and more like a thick liquid, change to a whisk.
The final consistency should be thicker than pancake batter, and ribbons will form when you lift the whisk. You should be able to draw a figure ‘8’ without the ribbon breaking. If your dough is too thick or too thin, you can adjust with more milk or flour.
3. Leave the dough aside at room temperature to rest for 30 minutes.
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
Tip: Prepare your cooking area – spaetzle can be messy business! Set your bowl of dough near the cook top along with a large ladle or spoon, with a paper towel or plate nearby to rest the spoon on between scoops. If your potato ricer has adjustable holes, use the largest holes set the furthest apart.
2. Place the potato ricer over the pot so it’s only an inch or so away from the water’s surface – rest the handle of the ricer on the pot as a guide. Ladle some of the dough into the ricer (it should be thick enough that it doesn’t immediately drip through).
3. This step is best done quickly: squeeze the ricer handle just a little, but not completley shut, so just a bit of the dough comes out. It will come out in long strings – once it reaches the water, lift the ricer sharply up so the dough detaches and drops into the water. Continue squeezing the dough out in short bursts until the ricer is empty.
Tip: Don’t worry too much about the technique; spaetzle are an irregular shape and size anyway, and as long as they don’t clump together in the water it’ll still taste delicious.
4. When the spaetzle rises to the surface, scoop it out with a slotted spoon and place it into a bowl.
5. Continue ladling and cooking the dough in batches until it’s all gone.
Bonus tip: Clean the utensils and bowls that are covered in dough with lukewarm water. If you clean using hot water, it will cook the dough onto everything!
Serving notes:
If you’re serving spaetzle as a side, choose a wine that goes with the main dish. Otherwise, a light white wine such as a Pinot Gris, Vermentino or Garganega (Soave) will go nicely with plain spaetzle tossed with a little butter and cheese. A dry German Reisling would also go nicely.
