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1
Blanch the spinach briefly in well-salted boiling water, then drain and refresh immediately in cold water so the leaves stop cooking and hold their vivid colour. Squeeze the spinach extremely dry in a clean cloth — wringing out every last drop of moisture is essential, because any water left in the purée will slacken the batter and prevent the spatzle from holding their shape in the pot. Purée until completely smooth; the purée must be firm enough to hold its shape when pressed.
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2
Combine the flour, eggs, salt, nutmeg, and spinach purée in a bowl and beat to a smooth, homogeneous batter. The correct consistency is that of a thick pancake batter — it should fall from a spoon in a slow, heavy ribbon. Refrigerate the batter for 30 minutes so the gluten relaxes and the batter will press through the holes of the board more smoothly and evenly.
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3
Crisp the speck lardons in a dry pan over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the edges are browned, so the speck brings both crunch and concentrated savour to the finished dish. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve the rendered fat in the pan, as that fat will carry the flavour of the speck back into the spatzle when they are tossed.
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4
Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil and season generously with salt. Working in batches, press the batter through a spatzle board or a colander with large holes held directly over the boiling water, so the batter falls in droplets and forms the characteristic irregular shape. Cook each batch until the spatzle float to the surface, approximately 2 minutes, and remove immediately with a spider — leaving them a moment longer causes them to stick together and turn doughy.
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5
This is where the dish lives or dies: in a wide pan, heat the butter over medium heat until the milk solids turn a deep hazelnut brown and the butter gives off a nutty, almost toasted aroma — pale, unbrowned butter will leave the dish tasting flat and greasy where it should taste rich and complex. Watch it closely once it begins to colour, as it moves from amber to burnt in seconds. The colour must reach a true beurre noisette, not simply melted butter.
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6
Toss the drained spatzle with a splash of their cooking water before transferring them to the pan of beurre noisette, so the starchy water helps the butter cling to every piece rather than pooling at the bottom. Add the crisped speck and the reserved rendered speck fat, then toss over the heat until every spatzle is coated and gleaming. The spatzle should be vivid green and separate, not clumped.
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7
Divide among warmed plates. Grate the Trentingrana finely over each portion at the moment of service so the heat of the spatzle begins to soften it without melting it into the dish. The cheese should form a light, crystalline layer — it is not stirred in.