Spaetzle Recipe

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Photo by iStock/bernjuer
Use squash butter to bring this spaetzle dish from traditional to sublime.

Ingredients

  • Squash
  • Brussels sprout leaves
  • Sage
  • 2-3 sage leaves chiffonade (cut in strips)
  • 2-3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup of vegetable or mushroom stock
  • For the spaetzle: 2 cups flour
  • For the spaetzle: 4 whole eggs
  • For the spaetzle: 1/2 cup milk

Directions

  • Roast 1 squash — preferably an acorn or butternut type — in a 300-degree-Fahrenheit oven with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of honey.
  • Once roasted, puree and mix with butter about 1/3 squash puree to 2/3 butter. There will be extra. Season this mixture with salt and pepper.
  • The remaining butter puree can be combined with the roasted squash and served as a side dish with a small amount of sage and cream.
  • In a mixer beat eggs and milk, and slowly add in flour. It should be a thick batter consistency. Let it beat for a few minutes to develop gluten in the flour for stronger pasta. Add any herbs or seasoning to this, such as mustard or pepper. Or add a small amount of squash puree in place of an equal proportion of milk.
  • In a wide pot of boiling water push the spaetzle through a spaetzle cutter, a one-sided cheese grater or a perforated hotel pan. The dough should drop off into the water.
  • Cook for approximately 2 minutes and strain and cool. Keep it in a strainer to dry and set aside.
  • In a saute pan heat a little olive oil and add 1-2 cups cooked spaetzle, cooking on high heat until spaetzle becomes somewhat caramelized without it sticking to the pan.
  • Once the spaetzle caramelizes, add Brussels sprout leaves and let them wilt and cut the heat down. Add mushroom or vegetable stock and let it reduce until almost a sauce consistency.
  • Add approximately 1 tablespoon of squash butter, salt and pepper to taste, and sage. Once it has melted and emulsified in, finish with Parmesan and serve as a side or a dish on its own.
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Mother Earth News Gardening
Mother Earth News Gardening
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