Spinach Spätzle

by Kirsten on June 3, 2011 · 18 comments

in German Dishes, Main Dishes, Misc. Savory Dishes, Savory Dishes, Sides, Starters & Sides

Your wish is my command! The result of my last poll showed that you, my readers, would like to see more German recipes featured on “My Kitchen in the Rockies”. Thanks everybody who participated. I appreciate your feedback a lot.

Here is a spinach variation of a traditional Spätzle which is simple German homemade pasta that originated in the southern parts of Germany.  Spätzle dough consists of flour, water, salt and eggs. There are different shapes of Spätzle depending on the shaping method. Spätzle can be made by scraping dough off a wooden chopping board (“Spätzlebrett”), by using a strainer, (or colander), a potato ricer (“Spätzlepresse”), a food mill or coarse grater (“Spätzlehobel”). I use a hopper (hobel) style Spätzle Maker which results in button-like shaped Spätzle.

For this dinner I browned the cooked Spätzle lightly with onions and butter and served them along a fried egg with some tomato salad. You could also fry the Spätzle with bacon and serve them with a fresh green salad.

My daughter eats Spätzle for breakfast, lunch and dinner. How and when would you prefer them? Give these delicous spinach Spätzle a try and let me know!

Ingredients:

*  150 g ( 5.3 ounces) fresh spinach, chopped
*  250 g ( 2 cups + 1 tablespoon) flour
*  3 eggs, lightly beaten
*  1/4 teaspoon salt
*  125 ml (about 1/2 cup) water (or mineral water)

Directions:

Steam chopped spinach until wilted, rinse with cold water and set aside to drain.

Bring a big pot of salted water to boil while preparing the dough.

Add flour, salt, water and eggs into the bowl of an electric kitchen machine. Using the dough hook, mix the dough on high for 3 to 4 min., until you can see air bubbles in the dough (when the machine is turned off). Mix in the drained spinach. Add a little more flour if dough is to liquid. Place your Spaetzle Maker over the boiling pot and add half of the dough into the hopper, dropping the dough through the hopper into the boiling water while moving the attachment. I use a hopper (hobel) style Spaetzle Maker .

The  Spätzle are done when they are rising to the surface of the pot. Take them out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon or a kitchen spider (I love mine). Put them into a colander in the sink and rinse them with cold water. Repeat until all the dough is used. Let  Spätzle sit to drain the water.

You would not rinse them with cold water if you serve them immediately.

You can now use the Spätzle in a recipe to your liking.

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{ 18 comments }

Cooking Creation August 4, 2011 at 2:06 pm

Making this for my sister's German mother-in-law! She would love it! Thanks for sharing 🙂

Lizzy July 23, 2011 at 9:06 pm

Wow, that spaetzle looks amazing! I've never tried any additions, but you've inspired me~

Anonymous July 13, 2011 at 12:15 pm

Also – Tomate und Spiegelei sind etwas ungewöhnlich – und mir persönlich fehlt
der (Berg-)Käse!!!!

Liebe Grüße aus Tirol!
G.S.

Anka February 13, 2012 at 7:30 am

Schmeckt bestimmt, ist aber in der Form tatsächlich eher ungewöhnlich.
Wir essen Spätzle (ohne Spinat) als Beilage zu Braten und Soße, oder als Käsespätzle mit grünem Salat oder gebraten mit Speck/Schinken und Ei.
Ach ja, ich bin Schwabe, das ist die Region aus der die Spätzle kommen!

Tasty for sure, but unusual indeed.
We serve “Spätzle” (without spinach) together with all kinds of roast or with “Rouladen” – it has to be a dish with lots of gravy.
Sometimes we fry what’s left, together with ham and eggs.
Spätzle are also very nice as “Käsespätzle” – put a layer into a form, cover it with Cheese (spicy Bergkäse and/or Gruyère mixed with young Gouda to make it more creamy is our favourite mixture) , add another layer of fresh Spätzle, then cheese..put it into into the oven until the cheese melts and gets brown. Cover it with crispy fried onions and serve with lots of green salad – yummy!!!)
Regards
Anka from fhe South of Germany, where the Spätzle originally come from.

Andrea @ ForkFingersChopsticks.com June 14, 2011 at 4:02 am

Yeah – more German recipes. It's been so long since I've had spatzle I don't have a food memory to associate with it. Where I grew up in Nebraska, there was a large German population, so I ate many dishes from your home country. I'm on the hunt for some spatzle or perhaps I can score some leftovers?

A SPICY PERSPECTIVE June 7, 2011 at 9:09 pm

I've been meaning to make spatzle and I've never tried it. Maybe I'll just come over and have it at your house. 🙂

Betty @ scrambled henfruit June 7, 2011 at 1:33 am

I've never made spaetzle, but I love to get it at my favorite German restaurant. I think I'd like these spinach ones even better though- they look really delicious, especially with that egg! 🙂

Nuts about food June 6, 2011 at 12:21 pm

I am one of those who voted for German recipes, so thank you! I love spaetzle but I have never had them like this, with eggs and onion and tomato. Looks really good.

Lea Ann June 4, 2011 at 8:29 pm

I've had spaetzle once and can't remember where. I do remember I loved it. What a perfect cooked sunny side up egg .. great photos Kirsten.

Karen Harris June 4, 2011 at 8:09 pm

This looks so good. I haven't had spaetzle in years. A good friend's mother used to make it for us. Personally I am intimidated by the shaping and cooking. Your daughter's a lucky girl having a mom that can cook this for her anytime she wants.

Guvi June 4, 2011 at 2:35 am

I've only made spaetzle once, using an Austrian recipe, and I didn't like them; no I see why: there was waaay too much flour in them. This recipe, I'm definitely trying, I'm sure it's a good one!

JelliDonut June 4, 2011 at 1:53 am

This sounds delicious and your photos are gorgeous! Very nice, Kirsten.

Elisabeth June 4, 2011 at 1:43 am

Kirsten-I use the same basic recipe for my spaetzle, but never tried to make it with spinach…although I did stir chopped parsley, or dill in it. Spinach sound great, and especially using the fried egg on top for a nice brunch. Yummm!

From Beyond My Kitchen Window June 3, 2011 at 10:28 pm

My husband is German but we really don't eat a lot of German food. Maybe this would be a good place to start. Oh, he does love is sauerkraut though.

Katie June 3, 2011 at 9:41 pm

I've been wanting to try spatzle for a long time. It looks so good!

Hazel June 3, 2011 at 9:40 pm

Definitely my kind of meal!

yummychunklet June 3, 2011 at 8:16 pm

This looks like a great German dish! I have zero experience with German cuisine, so this looks a great dish to start with!

The Café Sucré Farine June 3, 2011 at 5:36 pm

Love your German recipes! My background is also German, my mom never spoke English till she went to elementary school! I grew up thinking that everyone in the world ate bratwurst and kuchen and streusels and spatzles, undsoweiter! Danke vielmal for this great sounding recipe!

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