Spaetzle

Before I attempted to make this, I was afraid it was too complicated of a recipe for me. I thought the make shift strainer would not do, and I'd end up needing a special spaetzle maker. I thought the dough would (for sure) coagulate when boiling. And if it didn't, then I was positive it would stick together when strained. I just knew that immediately adding the just-cooked/hot spaetzle to a pan would never brown and (inevitably) stick to the bottom of the skillet. I just knew it would never turn out.

Thankfully, I was wrong on all accounts and in turn ended up adding another great starchy side to my repertoire. Classic success story.

Ingredients:
2 Eggs
1/2C Milk

1C Flour
1/4tsp Kosher Salt
1/8tsp ground Nutmeg

EVOO or Butter

Directions:
Whisk eggs and milk together in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix together flour, salt, and nutmeg. Pour wet ingredients into the center of the dry. Whisk to combine. Heat a pot of water over high heat. Push dough through strainer into the hot water. Cook for 2 min. Strain. Saute in EVOO or butter.

Set a pot of water on high heat. Have a colander handy/ready.

Also, have a sauté pan handy/ready with 1Tbl. of butter to be heated. (but not yet)

Measure out milk. Add eggs and whisk to combine.

In a separate bowl, measure out flour. Season with salt and nutmeg. Stir to combine.

Make a "well" in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the wet mixture into the "well" and slowly whisk to combine. The end result will be a very thick batter.

Once the water is very hot (doesn't have to be boiling or even simmering), strain the dough through the colander into the water.

Strain the dough over the water as best you can.

If your best isn't perfect, don't beat yourself up.

Cook for 2min.

Meanwhile, preheat a pan with butter or EVOO over medium high heat.

Wash and dry colander.

After 2 min., strain the spaetzle.

Add to the preheated butter or EVOO. Stir and give a shake to the pan to distribute spaetzle in an even layer. Leave alone and let cook for 1 to 2 min. over med-high heat.

Continue to cook and flip over med-high heat for 3min.

Add chopped parsley if so desired. (I always have a case of the split decision-syndrome so I added parsley to half)

Dig in.