Do you recall watching automobile ads where late-model cars race up dangerously narrow mountain roads careening around the curves at breakneck speed? At some point during the ad, a cautionary crawl appears, Do Not Try This At Home. That’s exactly how I felt about this week’s FFWD recipe choice, Herb-speckled Spaetzle, a chewy, baby-sized pasta that is more German and Austrian than French.
Herb-Speckled Spaetzle, this week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe choice.
I knew spaetzle spelled trouble when Cher, who is subtle in understatement, commented on the FFWD Questions&Problems Link, using terms such as “sticky dough” “patience” and “a spaetzle cutter would be helpful.”
That very same day, Betsy, who shares FFWD administrative duties with Laurie and me, asked if I’d made my spaetzle? She volunteered that she had completed the recipe, her first time making spaetzle, and noted that it was delicious.
“How did you make it without a spaetzle maker?” I asked.
“Oh, I actually found a spaetzle maker in the basement,” she replied casually.
Now, Readers, what are the chances that you’d have a spaetzle maker hanging out in your basement? In Germany, Austria, perhaps. Betsy lives in Lexington, Massachusetts.
On Thursday Robert spent the day working and painting at my house. (That is, when he wasn’t involved in his taste-testing duties.)
Undeterred, Thursday morning I gathered my ingredients, bowls, spoons and patience to begin making Herb-speckled Spaetzle. The egg dough, easily mixed together by hand, was sticky but manageable. However, I had a total fail with the next Step: “pushing the dough through the coarse holes of a grater, a slotted spoon or a colander” into a pot of boiling water.” (Dorie’s instructions.)
I tried all three methods and two more I won’t discuss here. In the end, my sticky dough landed in the roiling, boiling water, producing a spaetzle of my own design. I won’t disclose how that happen because no sane cook would want to repeat it.
I had just put all the spaetzle pieces in a large buttered bowl to cool when my Realtor, Charlie Fahr, stopped by. It was a lightbulb moment. My real estate agent — who is German, who has family living in Germany, who knows a thing or two about spaetzle. After spending 10 minutes helping me pronounce the word correctly, Charlie walked over to look at my buttered bowl of spaetzle, and with a small smile (not a smirk), suggested that it’s probably “essential to have the right spaetzle making equipment .”
May I just add here that Charlie is a really, really good Realtor!!! I took no offense at his dissing my spaetzle.
Robert, who would rather be painting, is obviously thinking, “Wait ’til the guys hear this one.” That’s me, in the mirror. being bossy, telling him how to pose. These would be better pictures if we hadn’t ended up laughing so hard. This was a bonding moment for Robert and me. He enjoyed my spaetzle. Really he did.
Charlie left me to soldier on with my recipe. To finish it off, giving it some Dorie dash, Dorie suggests adding mushrooms and onions after first softening them in a butter/olive oil combo. Next I mixed everything together, cooking it until the spaetzle started to brown. I then added seasonings and a cup of chicken broth, simmering it until total evaporation.
Do you believe in miracles? What didn’t look particularly pretty, tasted delicious. Really, really flavorful and good. Therefore, on Valentine’s Day I am giving myself a $6.99 Spaetzle Maker. When not in use, I will keep it in my basement.
After a day of making spaetzle, I joined Adriana Scrima, Susan Best and Ellen Fahr for an evening cooking lesson at Maggiano’s Little Italy, located on the Las Vegas Strip. Ellen (r), also my Realtor, treated us to this fun and funny girls-night-out.
Interested in making your own spaetzle? Here’s the recipe. I know that my colleagues are more proficient in spaetzle-making than I. To see how other Doristas did this week, go here.
This might just be one of the recipes I never get to. I think I’d be divorced if I brought home a spaetzle maker and stashed it anywhere in the house! I’m really enjoying everyone else’s efforts though! Esp yours!!!!
Stick to Mayo, Trevor. That was a great Post.
I think I might have to treat myself to a spaetzle maker too. I liked eating it, hated making it. Yours looks pretty dang tasty!
Your experience sounds similar to mine, and the shape of your spaetzle looks like mine too. It did taste good after all that!
“Therefore, on Valentine’s Day I am giving myself a $6.99 Spaetzle Maker. When not in use, I will keep it in my basement.”
I think I will too. Though I kind of liked my gnocchi like ones!
happy new year Mary!
I figured you needed the right tools to make Spaetzle but I didn’t realize it wasn’t costly. That’s why I skipped this recipe. Good to know if I get inspired.
The Italian cooking class is right up my alley, must have been fun.
Ohhhhh, what I would have given to have been there! Great perseverance!
Your post had me laughing, Mary. It looks like the end result was quite delicious. Robert seemed to be enjoying it, for sure. I love the picture of him with you reflected in the mirror. Note that the only reason I happened to have a spaetzle maker in the basement is that it was a gift from my mother and it seemed wrong to pass it along to someone else. I figured I might make spaetzle “some day”, and that day finally came along. Definitely give yourself that spaetzle maker for Valentine’s Day!
$6.99 is not a bad price to pay to make this yummy dish easier to make. I think there might be a bunch of us who go out and buy one. Your dish looks great and I am glad you enjoyed it despite the pain it was to make.
Mary, despite the lack of any specialty Spätzle making gadgets/equipment, I must say that your noodles look just woderful! If you cannot find a proper Spätzle maker (and they are so many different ones out there ), please let me know and I will make sure to send you one. Promise. By the way, Freya is saying “Hello” – we had a big family event yesterday and while waiting for the food to arrive at the restaurant, she looked at the exhibition catalogue of a very famous artist from Cologne, she drew one of the pictures that she looked at and wanted me to send it to you (with another card) but one of the guests loved it and send it to the artist the same day – he in turn send her a email and she was delighted and promised to draw a new one for you. Might take a while but I am sure she will live up to her promise!
Hope you had a great start into the New Year – all the very best, Andrea & family!
Funny post, Mary! I think this would have been easier with a spaetzle-maker – it was a bit messy pushing the dough through a grater, but they turned out well enough in the end.
That cooking class looks like fun. Tricia and I should check out the Maggiano’s
here at the King of Prussia mall to see if the have those classes. The spaetzel turned
out well and it sure looks like somebody was enjoying it. Happy New Year.
Robert is a trooper! You are too funny, Mary. I’m glad that your spaetzle turned tasty, if a little funky in shape. When you find the $6.99 spaetzle maker, make sure to share the link. 🙂
Mary, I have no doubt that your spaetzle tasted fabulous. I love spaetzle having grown up in a German family. I was so surprised when I was at the CIA and learned that it is also popular in France, mostly in the areas near Switzerland. The chef at the CIA made spaetzle making (by hand) look like a breeze but I too would need the spaetzle-maker! 🙂
Gosh, who wouldn’t love to be at your house when you’re cooking! I’m certain your spaetzle tasted just wonderful…no matter what it looked like. Giggling at Charlie’s comment…but who knew we’d need specialized German cooking equipment when we signed up for FRENCH Fridays???
CHER:
There is no shame in those noodles. The harder you work at something, the more you deserve to like it.
P.S. Saturday night, I drove an hour into the “CITY” and bought myself a 10$ spaetzle maker. I figure that investment could be cost justified fairly easily 🙂
You’re still my hero!
Mary, Your spaetzle looks wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it…it was a favorite in my house, too! I used a flat grater, and it worked fine. However, I decided to buy a very basic spaetzle maker!! Not the 60.00 variety! I really don’t think I’ll be making it often enough to warrant that much money!
Loved reading your post…you had me smiling as you described your spaetzle adventure!
Your cooking class sounded like a fun night!!
What a great and fun spaetzle post- I loved your painter friend trying it out for you- what a trooper he is! However you made it- your dish looks scrumptious!
Enjoyed reading about your adventure! I am going to ask my German neighbor friend to do this one up for me (and for her family) as she’s made it before and talked about how good it is. And I couldn’t get the pronounciation down….but it’s the eating that counts.
At least you had fun right? Plus the spaetzle were delicious. I don’t think the shape really matters all that much, do you? Okay I think I am almost caught up on all your blog entries (things were crazy for awhile and I fell behind) and I just wanted to tell you that I love reading about your adventures! It always seems like you have so much fun!