Germany · Main · Medium
Käsespätzle
Swabian egg noodles layered with mountain cheese and slow-fried onions
Fresh egg spätzle layered straight from the water with grated Bergkäse and Emmental, then topped with onions fried slowly in butter until deep golden. The heat and the little cooking water clinging to the noodles melt the cheese into stretchy strands without any sauce.
- Energy
- 800 kcalper serving
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Rest
- 15 min
- Protein
- 36 g
How was it?
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl and wooden spoon
- Large pot (at least 5 l)
- Spätzle press, spätzle grater, or a wet board and palette knife
- Wide frying pan (28 cm)
- Slotted spoon or spider
- Ovenproof dish (about 20 × 30 cm)
- Coarse grater
Before you start
- Grate both cheeses coarsely and mix them together.
- Slice the onions into thin half-rings.
- Heat the oven to 160 °C and put the ovenproof dish inside to warm.
- Snip the chives.
Method
-
Make the batter
400 g plain flour4 eggs5 g fine salt120 ml sparkling waterPut the flour, eggs and salt in the bowl, add the sparkling water and beat with the wooden spoon for 3–5 minutes.
Done when The batter is thick, smooth and glossy, air bubbles form and pop on the surface, and it falls from the spoon in slow, heavy tears rather than running.
Tip The long beating develops the gluten that gives spätzle their bite. If the batter is too stiff to beat, add a tablespoon more water.
-
Rest the batter
Cover the bowl and leave the batter to rest for 15 minutes.
Done when The batter looks slightly more elastic and stretches when pulled with the spoon.
-
Heat the water
4 l water30 g coarse saltBring the water to the boil over high heat in the large pot, add the coarse salt, then lower to a steady simmer.
Done when Small bubbles rise steadily, but the water is not churning.
Tip A rolling boil tears the spätzle apart; a simmer keeps them whole.
-
Fry the onions
400 g onions40 g butterMelt the butter in the frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and fry for 15–20 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden.
Done when The onions are deep golden brown, sweet-smelling and some edges are crisp; none are black.
Tip Raise the heat to medium only for the last 3 minutes to crisp them. Higher heat earlier burns them before they soften.
-
Cook the spätzle
Press or scrape a third of the batter into the simmering water. Cook until the spätzle rise to the surface, then 30 seconds more, about 2 minutes in total.
Done when The spätzle float, feel firm and springy, and a broken piece shows no raw batter inside.
Tip Dip the press or board in the hot water before each batch so the batter does not stick.
-
Layer with cheese
150 g Bergkäse100 g Emmentalto taste black pepperLift the spätzle with the slotted spoon, shake once, and spread them in the warm dish. Scatter a third of the cheese over them and grind over pepper. Repeat with the other two batches of batter and cheese.
Done when The cheese begins to melt into threads as soon as it touches the hot noodles.
Tip Do not drain the spätzle dry: the little water that clings to them helps the cheese melt smoothly.
-
Melt in the oven
Put the dish in the oven at 160 °C for 5–7 minutes.
Done when All the cheese has melted, the edges bubble gently and long strings form when you lift a forkful.
160 °C · 320 °F -
Top and serve
400 g onions1 bunch chivesSpread the fried onions over the spätzle and scatter with chives. Serve straight from the dish.
Done when The onions crackle faintly against the hot cheese and the chives stay bright green.
Common mistakes
The spätzle are gluey and heavy.
Fix The batter was not beaten long enough or too much went in at once. Beat until bubbles appear and cook in three batches.
The cheese turns oily and clumps.
Fix Pre-shredded cheese or a hot oven separates it. Grate from the block, layer the cheese onto hot, wet spätzle and keep the oven at 160 °C.
The spätzle stick together in one mass.
Fix Layer each batch with cheese straight away; spätzle left to sit drained and dry glue together.
The onions are burnt or limp.
Fix Fry them over medium-low heat for the full time and only crisp them over medium at the end.
Serving
Serve hot in the baking dish with a green salad dressed with vinegar and oil, or with Swabian potato salad, as is traditional. The acidity of the salad balances the richness of the cheese.
Storage and reheating
Keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a frying pan over medium-low heat with a knob of butter and a splash of milk, stirring, or covered in the oven at 160 °C for 15 minutes. Layered Käsespätzle does not freeze well; plain cooked spätzle freeze for up to 3 months.
Make ahead
Fry the onions up to 1 day ahead and re-crisp them in a dry pan. Grate the cheese the day before. Make the batter just before cooking.
Variations
Allgäu style
Replace 50 g of the Emmental with Romadur or Limburger, rind removed and diced. The dish is much more pungent and very traditional.
Spelt spätzle
Use spelt flour Type 630 instead of wheat flour and add 1–2 tablespoons more water. The flavour is nuttier and the texture slightly softer.
With bacon
Fry 100 g diced smoked speck in the pan before the onions and fry the onions in its fat with half the butter. This is no longer vegetarian.
