Recipe(tried): Pepperpot Soup with Spaetzle

This is an authentic Philadelphia recipe and may not be exactly what you had.

Dice 1/4 lb of tripe and cook in water over low heat until tender. About 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Dice a small onion, celery stalk and some green pepper and cook in oil until tender, but not brown.

Combine vegetables, tripe and broth, and both chicken and beef broth in stockpot. You need about 3 Qts of liquid alltogether.

Add some crushed peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves and diced potatoes and simmer until potatoes are tender. (Use as many potatoes as you want)

Make a smooth paste of flour and water. Add to soup and cook 10 minutes or until thick. Add spaetzle and cook.

Remove from direct heat and add 1/2 Cup milk. Correct seasonings.

Spaetzle - I can't give you the recipe, because it makes 3 Gal. Basically, you mix egg and milk then add flour, a pinch of baking powder, salt and pepper and parsley, then force though a sieve into boiling soup while stirring. Cooks about 10 min.

The soup recipe came from an old Phila restaurant my husband used to work at. I have reduced it from the 3 Gal it originally made. They served this at Valley Forge, during the Revolution.