German Recipes

Last week I told you that October is Pasta month.... but it is also the month to celebrate Oktoberfest - so, I thought I would combine the two and publish recipes that are from Germany and are also pasta.
One of my exchange students from Germany gave me a wonderful cookbook when she first arrived as a thank-you for hosting her for a year. I included a few of the recipes from that cookbook that she claimed are really good.

Spätzle

about 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. milk
Soups or broths or butter or margarine, fresh herbs, Parmesan cheese or bread crumbs to serve
Sift flour, salt and nutmeg into a medium bowl. Pour eggs and milk into center of flour mixture. Beat several minutes with a wooden spoon. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky, yet elastic. Add more flour if dough is too soft.
Bring 5 to 6 inches of water to a boil in a large pot. Put the dough on a plate held to the side of the pot. Being careful you’re not burned by the pot or from steam rising from the boiling water, cut pieces or strips of dough and slide the dough pieces or “strings into the boiling water. Cook only as many noodles as will fit on the boiling water’s surface, or they will cook together and not keep separate. Gently boil 6 to 8 minutes or until noodles are fully cooked. Remove from water with a slotted spoon or strainer. Repeat until all dough is cooked. Serve in soups or broths or saute in butter or margarine seasoned with salt and pepper. Fresh herbs, Parmesan cheese or bread crumbs may also be cooked with these noodles.

Nudelquadrate

These noodles are favorites with children. Noodle squares are simple to make, can be prepared in advance and take only minutes to cook.
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 t. salt
Salted water, soup or broth
Butter or margarine (optional) to serve
Combine egg, flour and salt in a small bowl. Using your hands, work mixture into a stiff dough, kneading at least 10 minutes. Cover and let stand 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough very thin. Let rolled dough dry until dough is no longer sticky. Cut dough into 3-inch-wide strips. Dust strips with flour and place strips one on top of the other. Cut crosswise into 1/2 x 3-inch strips. Next, cut 6 (1/2-inch) squares from each 3-inch strip. Spread noodle squares out to dry. Let dry several hours.
Bring salted water, soup or broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Drop handfuls of noodle squares into boiling liquid. Gently boil 5 to 7 minutes or until noodle squares are cooked through. If serving plain, strain noodles and cook in butter or margarine seasoned with salt and pepper, if desired.

Käsenudeln

2 T. butter or margarine
2 small onions, sliced
3/4 c. (3 oz.) shredded Emmentaler cheese*
1 t. dry mustard
About 3 c. cooked Nudelquadrate (recipe above), cooled
3 T. chopped chives
Preheat oven to 350° F. Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. In a medium bowl, toss cheese with dry mustard. Add sautéed onions and noodles; mix well. Place noodle mixture in a casserole dish; bake, uncovered, 30 minutes or until slightly browned on top. Garnish with chives before serving. Serve hot.

Hausgemachte Nudeln

Alas, many people, even in Germany, too often rely upon commercially made noodles. It’s easy to forget just how good homemade noodles are. There’s no beating their flavor or texture and the cook can custom-cut whatever size noodles he or she wants.
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
About 1/3 c. cold water
Soups or broths or butter or margarine or vegetables or meats to serve!
Combine flour, eggs and water in a medium bowl. Using your hands, work flour mixture into a stiff dough. Use more or less water, depending on dryness of flour. Knead dough until bubbles begin to form under surface of dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Sprinkle a little flour over rolled dough, then let dough dry 15 to 20 minutes.
Roll dough, jelly-roll style, and cut crosswise into thin noodle strips. Bring 5 to 6 inches of salted water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Drop handfuls of uncooked noodles into boiling water; cook 20 minutes or until noodles are cooked through, stirring to prevent sticking. Pour noodles into a colander to drain. Rinse noodles with hot water. Serve in soups or broths, or sauté plain in melted butter or margarine, or with vegetables or meats.

Maultaschen

4 c. all-purpose flour
2 eggs
5 T. sour cream
3 T. vegetable oil
1/8 t. salt
About 3/4 c. water
Meat Filling (recipe follows)
Broth, melted butter, sautéed onions, Tomato Sauce or other sauce to serve
Prepare filling. Lightly flour 2 baking sheets. Sift flour into a large bowl or onto a work surface; make a well in the center. Break eggs into well. Add sour cream, oil and salt. Blend ingredients with your fingertips. Gradually add water, working and kneading mixture into a smooth, pliable dough. Divide dough in half.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of dough into a rectangular sheet about 1/16 inch thick. Mark rolled dough into 3 1/2 to 4-inch squares without cutting dough. Place about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each square. Brush edges of each square with water, so edges will stick together to form a good seal. On another lightly floured surface, roll out remaining half of dough into a large, thin rectangle of the same size and thickness. Carefully place dough rectangle over dough squares with filling. With your fingers, press down on top dough layer between dollops of filling, so edges of squares will adhere to top layer of rolled dough, forming right seals. Use a fluted pastry cutter to cut finished raviolis into squares. Place raviolis on lightly floured baking sheets.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, using 1/2 teaspoon salt per 2 quarts water. Drop about 6 raviolis into boiling water, one at a time; stir gently to prevent them from sticking to the bottom. When water returns to a boil, add 6 more raviolis; stir carefully. Cover with a tight-fitting lid; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until they float. Gently remove raviolis from pot; drain in a colander or strainer. Rinse with hot water. Repeat until all raviolis are cooked. Serve hot in broth or by themselves, topped with melted butter, sautéed onions, Tomato Sauce or other sauce.

Meat Filling

1 lb. cooked pork, lamb, veal or beef, cut into pieces (about 4 cups)
2 T. butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
Using a grinder or food processor fitted with the metal blade, grind meat. Do not puree or process to fine. Melt butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in meat and eggs. Sauté over medium heat about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool. Print this post