Pasta
What’s the first place that comes to mind?
If you said Italy, that’s ok. There’s no right or wrong answer here, but we do want to take this time to tell you about a German noodle dish that may have you rethinking your answer.
Spatzle
You may have seen this on our menu alongside dishes like our hunter-style pork cutlet (Jagerschnitzel) and Oktoberfest Roast Plate (Oktoberfest Bratenteller), but today we’re making these small wonders center stage.
Spatzle is a traditional dish from Swabia—a cultural region in southwestern Germany. They are a soft noodle made from egg, flour, salt and nutmeg.
What’s up with the name?
Before actual Spatzle makers were invented, each noodle was shaped by hand or with a spoon and it was thought they resembled a sparrow, aka Spatz in German. Spatzle is short for Spatz.
How are they made today?
First, we create the dough with a blend of egg, flour, salt, and nutmeg.
Then we press the dough a few pieces at a time through a metal grater into boiling salted water. You can also use a large-holed sieve or an actual Spatzle maker.
Our final step is sautéing the cooked Spatzle in creamy butter or margarine.
Our homemade Spatzle is served fresh and delicious. As we mentioned above, it pairs with popular menu items, or it’s great topped with Swiss cheese and served on its own. This version is called Kasespatzle and features crisp onions and a fresh side salad.
Naturally, it pairs with beer
Whether you’re enjoying spaztle as a side dish or a main course, it’s rich and buttery flavor is the ultimate compliment to the fruit-forward flavor of our Hefe Weizen brew.
So, now let us ask you again. What’s the first place that comes to mind when you think of pasta? Answer in the comments below! And don’t forget to try this tasty dish for yourself. Make a reservation here.