German Spaetzle
Both a noodle and a dumpling, German spaetzle is for those nights when you crave comfort but want simplicity, too. Once you have the basic technique down, you can dress these noodle dumplings up or down—try them with a bit of browned butter and chives or sautéed onion with a few handfuls of Emmentaler and parsley.
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup whole milk
►Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk eggs and milk in another bowl. Make a well in dry ingredients and pour in egg-milk mixture, stirring until dough is smooth and thick. Allow dough to rest for 15 minutes.
►Prepare an ice bath. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Press the dough through a spaetzle maker or a large holed colander with a spatula or spoon.
►In batches, cook the spaetzle for 3 to 4 minutes or until dumplings float to the surface. Fish the spaetzle out with a slotted spoon and drop into the ice bath.
►When done cooking batter, drain the dumplings well and toss with a small amount of olive oil to keep from sticking. Prepare immediately, or refrigerate for up to one day.