Long title, that! 

But I’ve discovered I get a lot of people looking for something specific and if you don’t title it- they can’t find it.

(my version of “If you build it they will come…)

I haven’t written in the last couple of days because:

1) I’m still sick

2)I’m still kind of whiney about it

3)I don’t want to write whiney.

So here is a great recipe for spaetzle- or German drop noodles/dumplings.

I never made these before Meredith went to Germany and came home longing for some.  In my family we made zsomervenka and spoon dumplings.  It is basically the same recipe, only the method is different.  But I love the method and the flavor of the spaetzle- so here it is!

It has a distinctive curly noodle look- and since you make them in boiling water, they don’t incorporate the flavor of the dish as much as enhance it.

The recipe is  basic noodle recipe;

2 cups flour (all purpose)

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

Mix salt and flour with fork, making a well in the bottom of a medium sized deep bowl.  Beat eggs and milk together and pour into well, continue to beat liquids adding the flour into the mixture until the flour is totally incorporated.

I add a little more flour at this point- about 1/4-1/2 cup because I like my dough a little stiffer. ( If you want to make zsommervenka you need to add a lot more flour so that you can grate your noodles and allow them to dry slightly on tea towels.)  If you want to make dumplings, wet a spoon in your liquid-stew-soup- and drop small teaspoons of dough into hot liquid.

But if you want to make Spaetzle, then you need some extra equipment.

This is a Spaetzle maker.  It is a bowl that slides over a flat surface with holes on it to let the dough drizzle through and cook in the boiling water in the pot below. (I know- no boiling water-  I have made a lot of spaetzle and I have a proper respect for the boiling water, having burnt myself more time than you can imagine.  So- I’m not making the spaetzle AND taking pictures at the same time, thank you very much!)  

If you don’t have a spaetzle maker you can use a colander with large holes and push the dough through with a spatula.  The spaetzle maker costs between $12 and 18 dollars- buy it- it’s worth it!

You will also need a slotted spoon to take the spatzle out when it is done.  Since you are making these noodles on a continuous basis – about half way through stir the entire pot and take out the top layer of noodles.  The uncooked ones will sink to the lower pot of the pan when you stir it and you can continue cooking them for several more moments.  If in doubt- taste them.  YUM!  The cook’s privilege!

When cooked you can add them to beef stew, or chicken paprikash, or carmelize an onion and add to the spaetzle.

My favorite is to make an extra batch and then fry up some bacon and sautee an onion in the fat, add  the spaetzle ,crumbled bacon and 1 cup of chopped Swiss cheese until it is all melty and delicious!

So if it is cold and rainy or snowy outside, boil some water and make your kitchen all steamy and wonderful with homemade Spaetzle! 

Your family will thank you!