Käse Spätzle

Method

1. If using fresh packaged Spätzle from the refrigerated section, boil it in salted water for about 2 minutes, drain, and toss with a tablespoon of the butter. Homemade needs the same treatment once it floats.
2. Heat the oven to 200°C. Butter the baking dish.
3. Melt about 45 g of the butter in a wide pan. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden. Lower the heat if they darken too fast. The onions matter as much as the cheese, so do not rush them.
4. Keep the Spätzle hot, or rewarm it briefly. Hot Spätzle melts the cheese evenly; cold Spätzle gives you cheese sitting in clumps on top.
5. Layer one third of the Spätzle in the dish, then one third of the cheese and one third of the onions. Add black pepper and a small pinch of salt. Repeat twice, finishing with cheese and onions.
6. Dot the top with the remaining butter.
7. Bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the edges are starting to crisp.
8. Rest for 5 minutes, then finish with chives.

Notes

• The best cheese combination in Germany is Bergkäse with Emmentaler. Gruyère is also excellent. Avoid pre-shredded cheese where you can, since the anti-caking starch stops it melting smoothly.
• Fresh packaged Spätzle is the best shortcut. Prefer the soft refrigerated kind over dried; it usually needs about 2 minutes.
• For a crisp onion topping, toss a handful of sliced onions with a tablespoon of flour, fry them separately in butter until crisp, and add them after baking.
• Serve with something sharp: a green salad, sesame cucumber salad, sauerkraut, or pickles. The dish is rich and wants an acid beside it.
• This is not a keto recipe.

Sources consulted

• The Daring Gourmet: Käsespätzle
• Dirndl Kitchen: Easy Käsespätzle
• The Peasant’s Daughter: Käsespätzle

Good with

• Quick sesame cucumber salad
• Schwäbischer Kartoffelsalat

From Christoph Mayer