Spooky Spaetzle
For a recent Halloween themed dinner I decided to make spaetzle in different colors inspired by the holiday. I made three flavors- purple sweet potato, beet and green pea. They came out very pretty and my guests loved them. Not sure how spooky they were, though. I also served them with squid ink pasta, but that was store bought, not homemade. It made for a fun presentation. I would certainly make any of them again.
For those who aren’t familiar, spaetzle are like little dumplings or a type of pasta, depending on who you ask. The dough is a thick batter that is added to boiling water using a spaetzle maker. People will also use large slotted spoons to help the batter enter the boiling water in small pieces. They puff a bit when cooked, but deflate slightly after. They have a slightly chewy texture, but still tender, if that makes sense. My grandmother would put the dough on a cutting board and use a knife to cut little pieces off ad slide them into the water. She did it so quickly. I use a spaetzle maker – picture is at the bottom of this post. I was recently given a great hint. A perforated pizza pan- they are used to make a crisper crust- can be used as well. The pan has holes all over it. You place it over the pan of boiling water, dump the spaetzle dough onto the pan and use a spatula to press it through the holes into the boiling water. Great idea.
They were served with an array of colorful sauces, too. Those recipes will be coming soon. Because the pasta was pretty pastel in the end, I could see serving these for a Spring dinner, too. So here are the recipes, along with the recipe for my regular spaetzle.
Beet Spaetzle
1½ c. shredded cooked beets
1 egg
½ t. salt
1½ c. flour
Puree the beets. Combine egg, beets, salt and flour in a bowl and stir until batter is smooth. Batter with be thick. If it seems too thick you can add a little water or milk. Start pot of water boiling while batter rests. If using a spaetlze maker, place maker over the pot of boiling water. Place batter in the maker and slide back and forth, replacing batter as it runs out. If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, drop batter by small spoonfuls into the boiling water. Cook until they float, 3-5 minutes. Drain well before serving. To serve you can serve with a sauce or toss with butter or brown in a skillet with butter. These are also good topped with shredded cheese, but then, isn’t everything good that way?
Purple Sweet Potato Spaetzle
1 c. cooked mashed purple sweet potatoes
1 egg
½ t. salt
1½ c. flour
About ¼ c. milk or half and half
Combine potatoes with the egg, salt and flour. Stir until smooth. If batter is too thick add milk until batter is thick, but pourable. Start pot of water boiling while batter rests. If using a spaetlze maker, place maker over the pot of boiling water. Place batter in the maker and slide back and forth, replacing batter as it runs out. If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, drop batter by small spoonfuls into the boiling water. Cook until they float, 3-5 minutes. Drain well before serving. To serve you can serve with a sauce or toss with butter or brown in a skillet with butter.
Green Pea Spaetzle
1½ c. frozen peas, thawed
1 egg
½ t. salt
1½ c. flour
Puree peas until smooth. Combine with the remaining ingredients. Stir until smooth. You can add a little milk or water if the batter is too thick. Start pot of water boiling while batter rests. If using a spaetlze maker, place maker over the pot of boiling water. Place batter in the maker and slide back and forth, replacing batter as it runs out. If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, drop batter by small spoonfuls into the boiling water. Cook until they float, 3-5 minutes. Drain well before serving. To serve you can serve with a sauce or toss with butter or brown in a skillet with butter.
Spaetzle
3 eggs
1/2 c. half and half or evaporated milk
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. flour
Combine all ingredients and let rest 30 minutes. Drop by small spoonfuls into boiling water. Cook until they float and puff up, about 5 minutes. Serve with soups, stews sauces. You can toss them with a little butter. I sometimes heat butter in a pan and brown them up a little. You can also add some fresh, chopped herbs to the batter.
Beet Dumplings
I had beets that I wanted to use in something different. So I made these dumplings with cooked beets. The color came out so vibrant. We had them with dinner last night.
The flavor of the beet is somewhat muted in this little dumpling. These would be a nice side dish for all sorts of dishes. They would also be a fun addition to soup.
I do a very rustic version- just shape into rolls and slice dough off into 1/2 -inch thick pieces and boil them up. These could be made ahead and frozen, too. I considered calling them gnocchi, as they contain potatoes, too. They did remind me of gnocchi a bit, but they were a little denser. Call then what ever you like. They are fun and easy to make, too. My friend suggested maybe putting them through the spaetzle maker next time for a smaller version. I might just do that. So here is the recipe. Enjoy!!
Beet Dumplings
2 small russet potatoes, 11-12 oz. total, peeled, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium/small beets, roasted, skin on, cooled
1 egg
1/4 c. whipping cream or half and half – you could probably use milk, too. 1 1/4 t. salt
¼ t. dill weed
1 1/2 c. (about) flour
Steam potatoes over boiling water until tender, about 12 minutes. Place in bowl and mash or put potatoes through a ricer. Place in bowl and cool about 10 minutes. Remove skins from cooled beets and dice. Place beets in a food processor or blender. Add the cream and process until smooth. Combine beet mixture with potatoes, egg, salt and dill and mix well. Stir in flour and combine until slightly sticky dough forms. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time if the mixture is too moist. Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface and divide into 6 equal portions. Roll out 1 piece into a rope about 20-inches long by 3/4 inch. Cut dough into 3/4 -inch pieces and arrange finished dumplings in a single layer on a floured baking sheet and repeat the process with the remaining dough. Boil the dumplings in well-salted boiling water, about 1/3 at a time. Boil for 4-5 minutes. They will come to the surface and be tender. Check after 4 minutes. Serve with butter or with your favorite sauce or in a soup. Serves 6.
