Making Spätzli

"Spätzle" is a type a dumpling typical of southern Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.  My mother used to make them, but she always referred to them as "spätzli", which is the name that is commonly used in Switzerland.  I am sure that she must have learned how to make them from her Swiss grandmother.  However, she did not have a written recipe.

Helen, the wife of my Swiss cousin Walter, gave me her recipe, and a while ago I finally got around to making them.  The recipe is very easy.

Mix 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour with 100 milliliters of lukewarm water.  (Fortunately my measuring cup has metric as well as English measures on it.  I think most of them do.) Add three beaten eggs, a large pinch of salt, a splash of mineral water, and stir together.  Cover the dough and let it rest for an hour.

There are metal gadgets similar to graters that can be used to make the "spätzli".

(image taken from the web)

My mother, however, simply spooned the dough into boiling water.  When the dumplings rise to the top of the water, spoon them out.  I haven't quite mastered the knack for spooning the dough into the water, so my "spätzli" came out a little larger than hers.

Helen recommended then sautéing the "spätzli" in butter with onions.

They were very good.  However, with my leftover dumplings, I did what my mother always used to do...  I mixed them with sauerkraut.  Yum!

Guten appetit!