Make It Yourself...Handgeschabt Spätzle

Spätzle are soft, batter-type noodles, very easy to make.  There is no rolling and drying involved.  I make hand scraped spätzle, which are literally scraped off a small cutting board or flat plate into the boiling water.  You can also use a spätzle maker, if you wish.  This, however, is an easy method I learned from our grandmother.   About 50¢ worth of ingredients for 4 servings, and you can prepare them in less than 20 minutes.     The nutmeg is authentic and makes them perfect!   Delicious with roasts with gravy.          

Handgeschabt Spätzle

  1             cup  flour, all-purpose

     2/3      teaspoon  salt

  2             dashes  ground nutmeg

  2             large  eggs -- lightly beaten

  2             tablespoons  milk -- or more if needed

1. Heat a large pot of water, covered, until boiling.
2. Combine the flour, nutmeg and salt in a mixing bowl.  Combine the egg and milk and add to the flour mixture.  Beat for several minutes until the batter is smooth and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  (You can't beat it too much.) Let rest 10 minutes and beat again.  The dough should be a lot thicker than pancake batter but not as much as bread dough, don’t add more milk or flour to adjust the thickness until the dough has rested, by then, it usually is just right.
3. Scrape the batter onto a spätzle board or a flat plate that has been sprayed with non-stick spray or moistened with water.  Smooth the batter across the board to an even thickness.  Cut the noodles off in about 1/8-1/4" widths into the boiling water.  (You can dip your scraper in the water occasionally).  Stir the pot so the noodles don't stick to the bottom.  They will rise to the top.  Cook only enough noodles to cover surface of water. Do not over crowd. Cook an additional 3-5 minutes.  Remove with slotted spoon. Repeat until all dough is cooked. Drain well and set aside.
4. Melt butter in a medium sized sauté pan. Sauté the spätzle until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and serve immediately, or hold hot for service.

4 Servings

Tools Needed:  Large pot for water, lightweight cutting board, about 9x12” or a flat dinner plate, a long metal spatula or large dinner knife, bowl and mixing spoon for batter, small bowl and whisk for beating egg, colander for draining.

  

Per Serving: 156 Calories; 3g Fat (18.3% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 107mg Cholesterol; 395mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat.