Nothing takes the sting out of a cold winter’s night better than pasta under a blanket of cheese. A recent trip to Munich found us ordering kasespaetzle nearly every evening.
Spaetzle, a type of egg noodle, originally comes from the flour-loving Swabian region of Germany bordered by Bavaria and Baden, according to “The Cuisines of Germany” by Horst Scharfenberg. These days, spaetzle features on menus throughout Germany, often as a potato alternative. You’ll find the toothsome pasta-like spaetzle paired with lentils, potatoes, sauerkraut, and, happily, cheese.
The spaetzle dough (called schaben or “shaving” in Swabia) is simple enough to make from flour, eggs, salt, and water. It is the shaping of the dough by grating or slicing that separates experts from novices. Specialty cookware shops sell spaetzle makers, but a plastic colander with large holes works great too.
When I’m in a hurry I simply cook the packaged variety sold in specialty markets. For the best quality that holds up to a cheesy blanket, look for brands imported from Germany.
Serve buttered, herbed spaetzle as an accompaniment to roast chicken (stir a tablespoon or two of the pan juices into the spaetzle in place of melted butter). Or, pile it under a scoop of beef stew to sop up all the pan goodness. Float spaetzle in chicken soup or scramble leftover spaetzle with a handful of fresh herbs into eggs for a brunch dish.
Cheesy baked spaetzle (kasespaetzle) with three onions makes a great meatless main dish. The caramelized red onion adds a richness and umami flavor that satisfies as much as animal protein. Green onions add crunch and fried onions (from a can) add a lovely sweetness. Swiss Emmentaler, sweeter and milder than Swiss cheese, melts beautifully and adds a nutty flavor.
Cheesy Baked Spaetzle With Three Onions
Note: Look for crispy fried onion pieces (like those used on green bean casserole) at Trader Joe’s and large supermarkets.- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large red onion (12 ounces), halved, very thinly sliced
- Salt
- 1/2 cup creme fraiche or heavy whipping cream
- 6 ounces rind-removed Emmentaler or Swiss Gruyere cheese
- 10 to 12 ounces (about 2/3 of a 17-ounce package) dried spaetzle or egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
- 1 cup canned fried onion pieces, optional
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously spray an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with oil. Shred the cheese on the largest holes of a 4-sided box grater. You’ll have about 2 loosely-packed cups.
Heat a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the spaetzle (or noodles) and boil, stirring often, until al dente (still a bit toothsome to the bite), about 10 minutes (always check suggested cooking time on package). Drain well and return to the pan. Stir in the onion mixture.
Arrange 1/2 of the spaetzle mixture in the prepared dish. Top with 1/2 of the cheese. Spoon remaining spaetzle mixture over the cheese. Top with remaining cheese.
Buttered Spaetzle
Makes 6 servings- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- Salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or chives or a combination
Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil. Set a colander or spaetzle maker over (but not touching) the water. Scrape about 1/4 of the batter into the colander and use a rubber scraper to push the batter through the holes into the water, forming small, irregular noodles. Repeat to scrape all the batter into the water. Cover the pan and simmer until tender but not mushy, 1 to 3 minutes. Drain well.
To serve, put drained spaetzle into a serving bowl. Toss with remaining melted butter. Sprinkle with herbs and serve.
