Spätzle

German recipes including spätzle as a side dish date back to the 18^th century, though the irregular shape and simple ingredients suggest, the noodle itself to be much older than that. These versatile Swabian ‘little sparrows’ flew far from their homeland in South Germany to win the hearts of many European nations and be served in addition to array of stews and saucy dishes. There is a bit of technique involved into the cooking method, and I must admit my first few attempts were quite messy, but after a while you get a hang of it. And when your son declares his love for you through a mouth full of spätzle, you just know it was well worth the effort.  

Ingredients:

Serves 4-6

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

Pinch of ground nutmeg

4 eggs

1 cup milk

Note: Of course, you can use a spätzle board or potato press, even a strainer to form your noodles. I saw a celebrity chef on TV using a ordinary grating board, so I tried it myself and after a while mastered the science of forming the dough into delightful little spätzle.  The fact that they do not need to look perfect to taste good is even more rewarding.

Method:

1. Combine flour, salt and nutmeg. Beat eggs with milk and pour into the dough little by little, until a smooth batter forms. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
2. Bring water with 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Plan on boiling at least 3-4 batches from this quantity.
3. Set a coarse grating board (the one with large holes) over the saucepan and press the dough, a few spoonfuls at a time, through the holes directly into the water. Boil for 5 minutes until the noodles rise to the surface and are tender to the bite. Remove noodles with a slotted spoon and place in a sieve. Splash them with a bit of cold water to stop cooking, and then drain well.