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Eiernockerl
Eiernockerl: Viennese soft flour dumplings scrambled with eggs, butter and chives
Eiernockerl is what Viennese grandmothers cook when the larder is nearly bare: a loose flour batter is scraped in little nubs into boiling water, then tossed in foaming butter and set with beaten eggs. In Vienna it turns up on weekday lunch tables and in old-fashioned Beisln, usually with a green salad in a sharp vinegar dressing on the side. The nockerl should be soft and slightly chewy, the egg just set and glossy, with lots of chives. A common mistake is cooking the eggs until dry and grainy; take the pan off the heat while they still look a little wet. Chef's tip: let the batter rest for 10 minutes before you cut it into the water, so the flour swells and the nockerl hold their shape.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the nockerl
To finish
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Beat 7 oz plain flour, 2 eggs, ½ cup milk, half the ½ tsp salt and 1 pinch grated nutmeg with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, until the batter is smooth, thick and comes away from the spoon in heavy ribbons. Leave it to rest for 10 minutes.
12 minStep 2: Bring a large pan of water to the boil with the rest of the ½ tsp salt. Put a spoonful of batter on a small wet chopping board and scrape off little nubs with a knife straight into the water, or push it through a spätzle grater.
4 minStep 3: Boil for 2–3 minutes, until the nockerl float and feel springy when pressed. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain well.
3 minStep 4: Melt 1 oz butter in a wide frying pan over a medium heat until it foams. Add the nockerl and toss for 2 minutes until they are coated and just starting to colour in places.
2 minStep 5: Pour in the 3 eggs and stir slowly with a spatula over a low heat for about 1 minute. Take the pan off while the eggs are softly set and still shiny; they keep cooking on the way to the plate.
2 minStep 6: Scatter over 3 tbsp chives and 1 pinch black pepper and serve at once, with the green salad with vinegar dressing if you like.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 78 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does eiernockerl take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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