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German pasta in 20 minutes or less By Chef Kady Guyton
German cuisine is known for many things: wonderful sausages, flavorful breads and countless ways to cook potatoes and cabbage. One thing they are not known for is pasta, but that's ok. At some point in the misty past, a German chef decided to put a thin, eggy batter into boiling water and gave the world spaetzle. For that, we are grateful. There are several theories as to where the name spaetzle comes and they all make some sense. My favorite is a derivation from "spat" (meaning late), since the noodles are made quickly right before being served. Spaetzle is a deceptive dish, something between an egg noodle and a very small dumpling. It's intended to be a side dish with meat and copious amounts of sauce. On it's own, spaetzle makes a delicious hot snack. The ingredients are few - flour, egg, milk - yet the variations can be endless. Getting it to it's final form can take a little finessing. Spaetzle dough is sticky, there's no getting around it. There are many tricks to squeezing the dough into the boiling water. One can purchase a spaetzle press - basically an overgrown cheese grater. Very skilled grandmothers can cut the dough and flick it into the water with a knife. A colander with large holes will work; personally, I've found a potato ricer to do a fine job with minimum fuss. Once the batter hits the water it will cook in three or four minutes. The noodles will float to the top and can be skimmed off with a slotted spoons. Rinse with cool water and set aside. The final product will be non-uniform, twisty and very tasty. The finished spaetzle can be held until it's time to eat or can be served immediately. The recipe below is pretty basic and can be paired with about anything. Spaetzle can also be served in place of potatoes, with melted cheese or sauteed onions. Typically it's served as a savory dish, but there are a few sweet variations - which would make a tasty autumn dessert: tossed with grated apples, butter and brown sugar or with cinnamon, nutmeg and a little milk. Spaetzle 3 cup all-purpose flour Directions In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gradually draw in the flour from the sides and combine well; the dough should be smooth and thick. Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot, then reduce to a simmer. To form the spaetzle, hold a large holed colander or slotted spoon over the simmering water and push the dough through the holes with a spatula or spoon. Do this in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the spaetzle floats to the surface, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Dump the spaetzle into a colander and give it a quick rinse with cool water. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the spaetzle; tossing to coat. Cook the spaetzle for 1 to 2 minutes to give the noodles some color, and then sprinkle with the chopped chives and season with salt and pepper before serving. |
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