Recipe: Pennsylvania Dutch Egg Spaetzle

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH EGG SPAETZLE

"Spaetzle are little dumplings made from fresh egg pasta, and they are traditionally served with pot roast, brisket or short ribs. They are easy to prepare and quite delicious. The trick is to make the batter an hour ahead and have ready a pot of boiling water that is large enough to keep the little bits of batter from sticking to one another as they cook."

4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
2 cups whole milk
Pinch of nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of ground pepper
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

FIRST, beat the eggs into the milk using a stiff wire whisk, then add in the nutmeg, salt and pepper; use a wooden spoon to mix in the flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture is smooth and elastic; or combine the first 6 ingredients in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse for 30 seconds. The mixture should now be the consistency of thick, slightly elastic pancake batter. Let the spaetzle batter stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

MEANWHILE, bring a large pot of cool salted water to a boil.

SECOND, suspend a large-holed colander or spaetzle sieve about 6 inches over the top of the boiling water. Try a test batch by first putting a couple of tablespoons of the spaetzle batter through the colander into the boiling water-if it runs quickly through the colander, add a little flour, a tablespoon at a time, to thicken the batter; if you have to press down hard to push the batter through the holes, add a little milk.

THIRD, working in 4 separate batches, pour the dough into the colander, pressing it through the holes with a rubber spatula (the droplets will form little "dumplings"). When the first little dumplings begin to float, stir the water gently to keep them from sticking together. Cook the spaetzle until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

FOURTH, carefully remove the spaetzle from the boiling water using a large slotted spoon or small strainer; submerge immediately in a bowl of cold water. When all of the spaetzle have cooled, drain thoroughly and transfer to a glass or stainless bowl. The spaetzle can be prepared a day ahead up to this point-toss them in a little vegetable oil, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

FIFTH, transfer the spaetzle to a colander and run under hot water for a minute, then shake off the excess water. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cut the butter into pats and quickly add them to the hot skillet so that they melt all at once. Add the cooked spaetzle to the melted butter and toss continually with a wooden spoon to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the skillet; saut for 1 minute so that the spaetzle can absorb the butter. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings
Source: A Return to Sunday Dinner by Russell Cronkhite