Kitchen Moxy

Käsespätzle

Comfort Food Spoiler! 

This German Käsespätzle is a tasty homemade pasta tossed with onion and Emmentaler cheese. It’s a German version of macaroni and cheese. Made with Spätzle a type of egg noodle that originated in the Swabian region of Germany. The name “Spätzle” translates to “little sparrows” in English, reflecting the small, irregular shapes of the noodles. They are made from a simple batter of eggs, flour, and milk, resulting in a chewy, dumpling-like texture.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, if possible
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk more as needed (milk produces a richer Spaetzle) (**add more flour if the dough is too runny, add more milk if it’s too stiff)
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 1 ½ cups shredded Emmentaler cheese (See note for substitute)
• 1 onion, sliced thin

Process

1. Gather all ingredients.
2. Mix flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
3. Beat eggs in a medium bowl. Alternately mix in milk and flour mixture until smooth. Set aside for 30 minutes.
4. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Press batter through a spaetzle press into the water. One can also use a rubber spatula to push the batter through the holes of a large-holed colander or a kitchen spoon with holes.
5. Don’t overload the pot of water. Work in small batches. The spätzle batter will sink to the bottom of the pot of boiling water, then float to the top as it cooks. Cook the spätzle for approximately five minutes. Remove from boiling water with a slotted spoon to a clean colander to drain.
6. Mix in 1 cup of cheese.
7. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until golden. Stir in spaetzle and remaining 1/2 cup cheese until well blended. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Notes:

1. Gruyère is the best substitute for Emmental cheese. It’s super easy to find in food stores and should be around the same price as a pack of Emmental. In terms of flavor, gruyere cheese is more complex. Along with the nutty notes it shares with Emmental, there’s also a salty and earthy undertone.
2. Traditionally Spätzle batter is quite thick because it was cut into noodles using the board & knife method. Even if using a Spätzle press or other method, thicker batter yields a better consistency. If you’re using the Spätzle press yes, it will require some muscle strength – you don’t want the batter to be so runny that it squishes right through with ease. That said, if you’re straining way too hard to press the batter through, go ahead and add a bit more liquid to thin it out.