Swabia (Baden-Württemberg), Germany and Vorarlberg/Tyrol, Austria — the earliest documented Spätzle recipe dates to 1725 in Swabia; the dish is claimed with equal fervour by Swabians and Austrians; it spread throughout southern Germany, Austria, and into Alsace-Lorraine with German influence
Swabia's egg pasta — irregular, tender, free-form noodles made from a wet batter of flour, eggs, salt, and a little milk or water, pressed through a colander or Spätzlehobel (a dedicated press with large holes) directly into boiling salted water — is the foundational starch of southern German and Austrian cooking: the pasta that is not pasta, the dumpling that is not quite a dumpling. The batter is looser than pasta dough (it pours rather than kneels) and the characteristic uneven, ear-like shape comes from the resistance of the pressed batter breaking as it hits the water. Käsespätzle (cheese Spätzle), in which the freshly cooked noodles are layered with grated Emmentaler or Bergkäse and topped with crispy fried onions, is the Swabian answer to macaroni and cheese — richer, more rustic, and substantially more satisfying.
Served as a side with Sauerbraten, Schweinshaxe, or Rouladen; as a main in Käsespätzle form with a simple green salad and apple cider vinegar dressing; the cheese version is the ultimate Swabian comfort food — a pot of Käsespätzle on a cold evening is the German equivalent of Welsh Rarebit or Fondue as winter comfort food
{"The batter should fall in thick ribbons from the spoon — too thick produces gluey, dense noodles; too thin produces strands rather than the ear-shaped irregular pieces","Boiling salted water is essential — Spätzle cooked in unsalted water taste of nothing regardless of subsequent seasoning; salt the water as aggressively as pasta water","Cook in small batches and remove with a slotted spoon as they float — overloading the pot drops the water temperature and the Spätzle cook unevenly and stick together","For Käsespätzle, toss the hot noodles immediately with grated cheese — the residual heat melts the cheese into the noodles; cold noodles produce uneven, clumpy cheese distribution"}
Beat the eggs until light before adding flour — the aeration produces slightly lighter Spätzle with a less dense crumb than a batter mixed without pre-beating. For Käsespätzle, caramelise the sliced onions in butter over very low heat for 45 minutes until deep amber and jammy — the sweetness of properly caramelised onions against the sharp cheese and rich noodles is the defining flavour of the dish; rushed pale-golden onions are an inferior substitute.
{"Over-mixing the batter — like muffin batter, Spätzle batter should be mixed until just combined; vigorous mixing develops gluten and produces tough, elastic noodles","Skipping the rest — 10 minutes of rest allows the gluten to relax, making the batter flow through the press more easily and producing more tender noodles","Not finishing in butter — freshly cooked Spätzle should be tossed in butter immediately; without fat, they cool and stick in a solid mass","Using aged hard cheese with too little moisture for Käsespätzle — young Emmentaler or Bergkäse that still has moisture melts smoothly; very old cheese seizes into rubbery clumps"}