What is Spätzle?
German Spätzle (also spelled Spaetzle) has different pronunciations depending on where people are from.
In Switzerland they spell it Spätzli. Spätzle is a versatile egg noodle that can be used in place of any pasta dish as well as a lovely little dumpling in your homemade soups.
Commonly served with stewed meats or creamy sauces it is also great with vegetarian creations or the very simple but very popular traditional way of grated Swiss Emmentaler cheese and caramelized onions and often baked in the oven known as Käsespätzle (German Mac & Cheese).
Traditionally, spätzle were made by scraping long, thin strips of dough off a wooden (sometimes wet) chopping board (spätzlebrett) into boiling salted water where they cook until they rise to the surface.
Since this can be a cumbersome way to prepare spätzle, several devices were invented to facilitate cooking that resemble a strainer or colander, potato ricer (spätzlepresse), food mill or coarse grater (spätzlehobel).
Where did it come from:
The geographic origin of Spätzle is not precisely known; various regions claim to be the originators of the pasta. Today, Spätzle are largely considered a “Swabian Specialty ” and are generally associated with the German State of Braden-Württemberg. In France they are associated with Alsace and Moselle.
Spätzle or versions of it can be found in the cuisines of Southern Germany and Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Slovenia, Alsace, Moselle, South Tyrol.
The origin of the word Spätzle comes from Swabian diminutive of Spatz meaning “little sparrow” or Spatzen plural for sparrows.
We will be sharing recipes over the coming months to highlight the many different ways Spätzle can be incorporated into your entrée.
Please visit our Topping Ideas & Recipe Page to access them.
You will soon realize just how versatile and delightful it is to add Spätzle to your family meal plans!
