Käsespätzle
Swabian and Allgäu egg noodles baked in layers with mountain cheese and crisp onions
Käsespätzle is the cheese-and-noodle dish of Swabia and the Allgäu in the far south of Germany, served in mountain huts after a day's walking or skiing and in every village inn from Stuttgart to Oberstdorf. Freshly made spätzle, soft, irregular egg noodles, are layered hot with grated Bergkäse or Emmental until the cheese melts into long strings, then crowned with onions fried slowly until brown and sweet. A green salad with a sharp vinegar dressing is the classic partner. Use cheese made with vegetarian rennet; many mountain cheeses use animal rennet, so check the label. Chef's tip: layer the spätzle and cheese while both are piping hot, straight from the pot, so the cheese melts in the gaps instead of sitting on top in a rubbery sheet.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the spätzle
For layering
For the onions
To serve
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Start the onions. Melt 1 ⅜ oz butter in a frying pan over a medium-low heat, add 3 onions and 1 pinch salt and cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring now and then, until deep golden brown and sweet. Turn the heat up for the last 2 minutes so the edges crisp.
25 minStep 2: Meanwhile, beat 14 oz plain flour, 4 eggs, 1 tsp salt and 1 pinch ground nutmeg with a wooden spoon, adding ¾ cup sparkling water or tap water a little at a time, until you have a thick, sticky batter. Beat hard for 3–4 minutes until it forms bubbles and slowly drips from the spoon in thick ribbons. Rest it for 10 minutes.
15 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 325°F (275°F fan) and warm a baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
Step 4: Press the batter into the boiling water in batches through a spätzle press or a colander with large holes, or scrape thin strips off a wet board with a knife the Swabian way. The spätzle are done when they float to the top, after 1–2 minutes. A common mistake is crowding the pot: the water stops boiling and the spätzle stick together.
10 minStep 5: Lift each batch out with a slotted spoon, shake off the water and put it straight into the warm dish. Scatter over a handful of 9 oz Bergkäse, Emmental or Gruyère-style cheese (vegetarian rennet) and some ½ tsp black pepper, and keep the dish in the oven while you cook the next batch. Finish with a layer of cheese.
Step 6: When all the layers are done, give the dish 5 minutes in the oven until the top cheese has melted. Pile the onions on top, scatter with 2 tbsp chives and serve straight away.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 80 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does käsespätzle take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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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