Making Spaetzle 101

What is this crazy gadget you ask? Why a spaezle maker, of course!

When a good friend first introduced me to spaetzle 5 years ago, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I’d heard of spaetzle, but I had no clue what it was. Her spaetzle was blanketed in a delicious, saucy Chicken Paprikash (another post for another day).

I know it sort of looks like a cheese grater, but it doesn’t do that at all. The part my hand is resting on, is filled with batter and then slid back and forth as the batter drips down into the pot of boiling salt water. (You can also use a colander with large holes.)

Spaezle makers have a lip on them that rests easily on the edge of the pot to keep it steady.

I have used recipe from my old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook – the red and white one. I’ve loved it. More recently I’ve started using the one from The Joy of Cooking. Both are great recipes. Most spaetzle recipes are basically the same, with varying amounts of milk and egg.


Spaetzle
from The Joy of Cooking
Note: the recipe below has been doubled

Ingredients:
4-6 quarts water or chicken stock
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more for cooking water
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs (I omit this most of the time)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Instructions:
Bring the water to a rolling boil in a large stockpot. Season well with salt.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients.

Stir very well until smooth.

Have ready a spaetzle maker or a colander with large holes (3/16-inch).

Hold the spaetzle maker over a pot of salted, boiling water.

Working in batches, pour the batter into the spaetzle maker or colander.

Press batter through to form the spaetzle. Cook and stir for 5 minutes.


Drain well–I happen to like using a Bamboo Strainer to remove the spaetzle.

Combine the bread crumbs and melted butter and sprinkle over the spaetzle. (I just toss the spaezle with melted butter.)

Makes about 8 cups, or 8-10 servings.

spaetzle

I had a moment of genius when I decided to serve our Sunday dinner. Beef Stroganoff over spaezle. It was marvelous. Absolutely marvelous.

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118 Comments

  1. Wow! Another wonderful creation by Lindsey. Someday I will have to try it. It looks wonderful. I’m so proud of you!!

  2. This looks devine…. you make me almost (ALMOST) want to cook again..

    The pictures are enough for me to feel full! I wish it worked for my kids…

  3. I’ve always wondered how to make those! The look so delicious.

    And in response to your comment on my blog: Of course I know who you are and I can’t believe we have never met since we have such similar interests! When are we going to finally meet and cook together? Cheers, Liz

  4. I love spaetzle!!

    I spent part of my childhood in Switzerland and Austria, so spaetzle really are comfort food to me. We often used a stroganoff-type sauce with them. Yum.

  5. hi,

    being a german and looking over your recipies I have to make some comments on the Spätzle of course :-)

    Depending on which region you are, there are differen kinds of spätzle. The ones of your recipie are called “Knöpfle”. What the swabians call spätzle are not the drop shaped noodles. The other type you “carve” from a wooden hand held board with the help of a spatula into the boiling water. The dough is harder (doesn’t have to go through the holes of the spätzlemaker). you only use flour, eggs (a lot of them) and salt. Nothing else. One of the best ways to eat them is to put them in the oven with chease, butter and onions. they are also good with a tomato sauce

    cheers

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