Spaetzle made with a potato ricer

Spätzle is German cross between noodles and dumplings, with an appealing toothsome texture. They're great with Beef Bourguignon, our Jurassic Chicken, Pörkölt, and many German dishes. We use a potato ricer's large holes to get fat, textured strands. 

We based this on a recipe from sports-glutton. The batter was a bit thicker than I expected and quite sticky. It required some force to push it through the large holes of a potato ricer. I was concerned that the strands would stick as they emerged, so I submerged the end in the simmering water as I squeezed the ricer. Our ricer has three disks, we used the largest holes, about 1/4 inch.

2 pax   4 pax  4 pax

140 g   260 g    2 C    All Purpose Flour

2.5 g     5 g    1 tsp  Salt

110 ml  215 ml 3/4 C    Milk

  1       2      2      Eggs

                        Butter

2025-01-12 I converted the recipe to metric and reduced to for 2 person serving;

I also used a food processor with plastic dough blade to mix it on low speed for a few minutes.

In a bowl (or food processor, or stand mixer), whisk Milk and Eggs together.

Add the Flour and Salt.

Stir with a strong spoon or spatula -- or food processor or stand mixer -- until fairly smooth; 

by hand this will take some time and muscle: it will become thick and sticky from gluten development.

It should be thicker than pancake batter; add water if too thick and dough-y, flour if too thin.

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil; when ready too cook, turn it down to a simmer.

With the batter next to the pot, fill a ricer with the batter about 2/3 full;

a thick batter should reluctantly drip through the ricer's widest holes, not flow.

Press down to extrude the batter through the holes into the simmering water;

if you think it's in danger of having the strands stick together, submerge the head in the water a little as you squeeze out the batter. 

Repeat until the batter is used.

Give the pot a gentle stir to make sure nothing's stuck to the bottom.

Adjust the heat maintain the water at a gentle simmer.

When the spätzle floats to the top, give it another 30 seconds or so to finish cooking.

Fish out the strands that have finished into strainer over another bowl to drain.

When it's all cooked, add a bit of butter to the bowl and toss to prevent sticking.

You can hold the cooked, buttered spätzle in a ziptop bag in the fridge for a few days.