Spaetzle (egg noodles)

Serves 2

For the spaetzle:

6 oz flour

3 fl oz milk

2 ea eggs

1/2 Tbsp chopped parsley, chive, oregano, and thyme

S/P

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:

Bring a small pot of salted water to a gentle boil and keep it ready for cooking the spaetzle.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour and create a well in the center. Add the wet ingredients and fresh herbs into the well, then begin working the dough together with a wooden spoon.

Continue beating the dough vigorously with the spoon to develop the gluten. The finished dough should be thick and elastic, but still loose enough to slowly flow from the spoon.

Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

Place a spaetzle maker over the pot of boiling water and work the dough back and forth through the holes, allowing the noodles to drop directly into the water. If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, a metal colander and spatula can be used to push the dough through the holes.

Cook the spaetzle until the noodles float to the surface, which indicates they are done. Remove them with a slotted spoon or strainer and transfer them to a paper towel-lined tray to drain.

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the butter. Allow the butter to melt and lightly brown, creating a nutty, rich flavor.

Add the cooked spaetzle to the pan and sauté until the noodles are golden brown on the outside and lightly crisped on the edges, turning occasionally to brown both sides.

Serve immediately as a side dish or alongside your favorite German-inspired meal.

Chef Scout Recon Tip: The key to great spaetzle is the dough consistency. Too thick and you’ll end up with heavy noodles; too loose and they won’t hold their shape. Look for a dough that stretches and slowly drops from the spoon.