Quark Spaetzle Recipes

HOMEMADE SPAETZLE

Steps:

• Mix the flour, eggs and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then gradually stir in up to 1 cup water to make a smooth, batter-like dough. Beat with a wooden spoon until bubbles form, then stir in the melted butter.
• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Place about 1 cup of the dough in a colander with large holes; use a rubber spatula to push the dough through the holes and into the boiling water. (Or use a spaetzle press.) Cook for about 1 minute after the spaetzle float to the surface, then transfer with a slotted spoon to another colander. Repeat with the remaining dough. Rinse the spaetzle in cold water if not serving immediately and set aside.
• Before serving, saute the spaetzle in a skillet with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until warmed through. Season with pepper and garnish with parsley.

SPAETZLE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gradually draw in the flour from the sides and combine well; the dough should be smooth and thick. Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot, then reduce to a simmer. To form the spaetzle, hold a large holed colander or slotted spoon over the simmering water and push the dough through the holes with a spatula or spoon. Do this in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the spaetzle floats to the surface, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Dump the spaetzle into a colander and give it a quick rinse with cool water.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the spaetzle; tossing to coat. Cook the spaetzle for 1 to 2 minutes to give the noodles some color, and then sprinkle with the chopped chives and season with salt and pepper before serving.

SPäTZLE (AKA SPAETZLE)

Steps:

• Place flour, egg, salt, cayenne, cream fraiche, and milk in a mixing bowl. Whisk together until batter drips slowly off the whisk. If batter seems too thin, add a bit more flour; if too thick, add a bit more milk. You can test the thickness using the smooth side of a cheese grater with fairly large holes. If a dollop of the batter does not drip through the grating holes, it's the right consistency.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Use a spatula to push a spoonful of batter through the holes of the smooth side of the grater into the simmering water.
• When dumplings rise to the surface of the water, they are done. This will take just a few minutes. Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon, and repeat in batches with remaining batter.

GERMAN SPAETZLE DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Mix together flour, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Beat eggs well, and add alternately with the milk to the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.
• Press dough through spaetzle maker, or a large holed sieve or metal grater.
• Drop a few at a time into simmering liquid. Cook 5 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
• Saute cooked spaetzle in butter or margarine. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top, and serve.

QUARK SPATZLE WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the spätzle: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it until it tastes like sea water (about 2 teaspoons per quart). Whisk the quark, eggs, and yolks together in a large bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir in the flour until smooth. Season with the salt, nutmeg, and white pepper.
• 2. Using half of the spätzle dough at a time and working quickly, push the dough through the holes of a colander (or spätzle maker) into the boiling water. Stir the spätzle and cook until the water returns to a simmer, about 1 minute. Then, using a skimmer or a large slotted spoon, transfer the spätzle to another colander. Run cold water over the spätzle to stop them from cooking further. Set that batch of spätzle aside. When the water returns to a boil, make the rest of the spätzle, repeating the procedure.
• 3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and then the onions. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and light brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until tender, another 2 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add the spätzle. Fry, stirring frequently, until the spätzle begin to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Season with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• 4. Add the cheese and fry, stirring, until it begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the beef stock and cook, stirring often, until it is absorbed. Add more stock until a thick, soupy consistency is achieved.
• 5. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, season with salt and pepper, and fry until they are brown and slightly crisp.
• 6. Serve immediately, garnished with the fried shallots and chives.
• Note: Hoch Ybrig is made in Zurich from cow's milk. It is a buttery, nutty, pungent cheese, similar in flavor to Gruyère. It is available at specialty cheese stores.

FRESH CHEESE SPAETZLE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, cottage cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.
• Stir in the flour until a smooth, thick, sticky batter forms.
• Spoon the batter into a colander with 1/4-inch holes.
• Set or hold the colander 1 inch above the boiling water and scrape the batter through the holes, using a rubber spatula.
• Stir the spaetzle once or twice to separate them.
• As soon as they rise to the surface, use a slotted spoon to transfer the spaetzle to a clean colander and drain well.
• Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet. Add the boiled spaetzle and cook them over moderately high heat, stirring and shaking the skillet occasionally, until the spaetzle are browned and crisp in spots, about 5 minutes.
• Add the quark and snipped chives, reduce the heat to moderately low and cook, stirring, until the sauce is creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Season the spaetzle with salt and pepper and serve right away.
• MAKE AHEAD:.
• The boiled cheese spaetzle can be covered in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to 2 hours before sautéing.
• NOTES.
• INSTEAD OF COTTAGE CHEESE: Farmer cheese.
• INSTEAD OF QUARK: Crème fraîche, fromage blanc, lebneh or mascarpone.

SPAETZLE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Add eggs and milk; stir to mix well (batter will be thick). In a Dutch oven or large kettle, bring chicken broth to a boil. Drop batter by 1/2 teaspoonfuls into boiling liquid. Boil until spaetzle rise to the surface; remove to ice water. Drain well. In a skillet, heat spaetzle in butter until lightly browned. Serve with schnitzel and gravy or with Parmesan cheese.