Whenever I make Spatzle I think of my sweet grandmother. This German-inspired dish is something she used to make often.
She wasn’t German, but lived close to the border and it was cheaper to do grocery shopping there.
When she had a growing family it was a thrifty, simple & delicious dish everyone loved, so she kept making it her whole life.
As children we were at my grandparents house very often, we loved it there! So I had my share of this German inspired dish as well and now I make Spatzle regularly too. Lovely how these things go, isn’t it?
My grandmother always made it using spam (luncheon meat) because that was what was available after the war. But even when other meats became available, she never changed it because everyone liked it the way it was and now I do the same because it reminds me of her.
Of course you don’t have to use spam, you can easily substitute other meats like chicken. And if you can’t get a hold of the German Spatzle pasta, you can use penne or udon noodles instead. If you’re not familiar with spatzle, it’s a German egg-based noodle that is short & irregularly shaped. Spatzle is not too different from regular pasta, but is a little heavier & chewier – rather like a dumpling. If you can find pasta or noodles that are on the thicker and “chewier” side, that will be the most authentic.
I can get the spatzle dried and fresh. So when I have the choice, I use the fresh. But both are really nice and a very different texture from any other style of pasta or noodles I know.
But enough talking about Spatzle… Let’s get into the kitchen and make it!
German Spatzle
Equipment
- cooking pan
- frying pan or wok
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Colander or sieve
Ingredients
- 250-300 gram Fresh Spatzle (when using dried pasta, look at the recommendations on the packet) (use the amount of pasta that's right for you)
- 3 Carrots
- 1 Big leek
- 3 Big handfuls Snow peas
- 1 Big handful Sugarsnaps
- 1 Handful Peas
- 1 Can Spam (Luncheon meat)
- 1 Tbspn (olive) oil
- Salt to taste (I used 2 big pinches)
Instructions
- Slice the carrots and leek
- Fry them in some (olive) oil until they are done
- Meanwhile cook the Spatzle pasta as per instruction on the packet
- Add in the sugarsnaps, snowpeas and peas to the carrots and leek and fry a few minutes
- Cut the spam into cubes and add those in as well
- Drain the spatzle and add to the vegetables. Stir and bake everything together for a minute
- Add to a plate and enjoy!
