What is Spatzle? – German American Society of Central Florida (2024)

What is Spatzle? – German American Society of Central Florida (1)

What is Spatzle? – German American Society of Central Florida (2)

Spätzle is a German egg noodle pasta with a chewy, dumpling-like texture. The short noodles are usually irregularly shaped and made from a batter of eggs mixed with flour and milk or water.

What is Spatzle?

  • Spätzle is a classic dish for those living in the Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria states in the Southern region of Germany
  • The origin of the word Spätzle comes from Swabian meaning little sparrows
  • Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany. The name is ultimately derived from the medieval Duchy of Swabia.
  • Not only are Spätzle noodles one of Germany’s most loved foods, they are also traditional in Austria, Switzerland, and Hungary
  • When the noodles are button-shaped, they are called by their Swiss name, Knöpfle, which means small buttons
  • Traditionally, thin strips of dough were scraped off a wooden cutting board into boiling salt water
  • Today, there are metal kitchen devices that can be used to make Spaetzle: a colander with large holes, potato ricer, food mill, or cheese grater, and all the different kinds of Spätzle makers available on the market
What is Spatzle? – German American Society of Central Florida (2024)

FAQs

What is Spatzle? – German American Society of Central Florida? ›

Spätzle is a German egg noodle pasta with a chewy, dumpling-like texture. The short noodles are usually irregularly shaped and made from a batter of eggs mixed with flour and milk or water.

What is German spaetzle made of? ›

Spätzle is a type of pasta or dumpling or noodles. Spätzle dough typically consists of few ingredients, principally eggs, flour, and salt. The Swabian rule of thumb is to use a number of eggs equal to the number of servings, plus one. Water is often added to produce a runnier dough.

How is spaetzle different from pasta? ›

Usually when you make pasta, you form a dense dough from flour and eggs, which you knead, rest, roll, and cut until your arms feel like they're on the verge of falling off. To make spaetzle, you just mix flour, egg, and a bit of milk into a pancake batter-like consistency.

What is another name for spaetzle? ›

Other names for Spätzle include Spätzli, Spatzen, and Knöpfle (short & round version of the Spätzle found in the Baden region). Spätzle are made from flour, eggs, water, and salt. Compared to Italian pasta, the Spätzle dough is moister and softer. Because of this, the dough cannot be rolled out.

What is the definition of spaetzle? ›

Meaning of spaetzle in English

a food, originally from Germany, that is similar to pasta, made with eggs, flour, and milk, and formed into small round or long shapes before being boiled and sometimes fried: Spaetzle may be browned in a little butter before serving.

What does spaetzle taste like? ›

Taste: Spatzle taste similar to my beloved egg noodles, with the chewiness of a dumpling.

Is spaetzle the same as gnocchi? ›

What is the difference between gnocchi and spaetzle? The main difference between gnocchi and spaetzle is that gnocchi are made from potatoes while spaetzle noodles are made from flour, originally spelt flour. Gnocchi are also typically much larger than spaetzle, which are fairly small.

Does Aldi have spaetzle? ›

If for some reason you get sick of cheese, you can also pick up onion and mushroom spaetzle in Aldi's freezer aisle.

What are some fun facts about spaetzle? ›

They say that in earlier times, spaetzle were formed into tiny pieces of dough, either purely by hand, or with the help of a spoon. The result slightly resembled a sparrow (Spatz), which is why they were also called “Spatzen”.

Does spaetzle need to be refrigerated? ›

Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make ahead: Complete steps 1 through 7 up to 3 days ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container until you're ready to proceed with step 8. Freezer: Cool the boiled spaetzle, then package in freezer-safe containers.

What tool can you use to prepare spaetzle if you don t own an spaetzle maker? ›

The easiest way is to use a colander with holes (or in this case little strips). Hold it above the pot. Don't set it on the edges of the pot like a flat spaetzle maker – the bottom of the colander will reach down further in the pot and clog up with cooked dough.

What is the best flour for spaetzle? ›

wheat flour. Type 405 wheat flour is probably the most widely used today for spätzle. Type 405 indicates how high the degree of milling and the content of minerals such as magnesium or potassium. 405 indicates that approximately 405 milligrams of minerals are contained in 100 grams of flour.

What is the difference between spaetzle and egg noodles? ›

Spätzle are a type of egg noodle that is made from a coarsely ground form of durum wheat that is a kind of staple food in Swabian Germany. It's a little finer ground than semolina.

What nationality is spaetzle? ›

Spätzle is a German egg noodle pasta with a chewy, dumpling-like texture. The short noodles are usually irregularly shaped and made from a batter of eggs mixed with flour and milk or water. What is Spatzle? Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.

Can I make spaetzle ahead of time? ›

Can German Spaetzle Be Prepared Ahead of Time? Yes! It holds its shape wonderfully and if you shock the Spaetzle in cold water after cooking it won't stick together. You can easily make this side dish a day or two ahead and then simply reheat it in a pan with a little butter.

What is the difference between spaetzle and knopfle? ›

The difference lies in their shape. Whereas spaetzle noodles are usually longer and thinner, knoepfle means 'little knot/ button. ' It refers to a shorter, rounder variety of the noodle, often made using a sliding spaetzle maker, which transfers 'droplets' of dough rather than long noodles into the boiling water.

What does gnocchi mean? ›

The word gnocchi may be derived from the Italian word nocchio, meaning 'a knot in wood', or from nocca, meaning 'knuckle'. It has been a traditional type of Italian pasta since Roman times. It was introduced by the Roman legions during the expansion of the empire into the countries of the European continent.

What's the difference between gnocchi and spaetzle? ›

Spaetzle : a soft egg noodle most commonly found in Germany or Austria. Gnocchi: small dumplings usually made of potato. I made this using ricotta instead. I quickly made a brown butter sauce; both spaetzle and gnocchi are often served with similar sauces.

What is the hardest German word to pronounce? ›

1. Eichhörnchen (Squirrel) Although squirrel is also tough to pronounce in English, it's a classic when it comes to difficult German words to pronounce. Many English speakers struggle, and some even consider this the hardest German word to pronounce.

What kind of flour is used in spaetzle? ›

wheat flour. Type 405 wheat flour is probably the most widely used today for spätzle. Type 405 indicates how high the degree of milling and the content of minerals such as magnesium or potassium. 405 indicates that approximately 405 milligrams of minerals are contained in 100 grams of flour.

What is a German dumpling made of? ›

German potato dumplings, also known as kartoffelklöße or kartoffelknödel, are unique spheres of seasoned potatoes and starch. There are many ways to make classic German potato dumplings, including some using all or part raw potatoes, some using wheat flour, and some using part wheat flour and part starch.

What is the difference between spaetzle and knöpfle? ›

The difference lies in their shape. Whereas spaetzle noodles are usually longer and thinner, knoepfle means 'little knot/ button. ' It refers to a shorter, rounder variety of the noodle, often made using a sliding spaetzle maker, which transfers 'droplets' of dough rather than long noodles into the boiling water.

What is cheese spaetzle made of? ›

This käsespätzle, also spelled kaese spaetzle, is a tasty homemade pasta tossed with onion and Emmentaler cheese. It's a German version of macaroni and cheese. The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen.

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