Spaetzle With Kielbasa and Caramelized Onions
- Total Time
- 1 hour 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
- 1pound smoked kielbasa, cut into ¾-inch chunks
- 1½tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1large thyme sprig
- kosher salt
- 2¼cups all-purpose flour
- ¼teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¾cup whole milk
- ½pound Emmentaler cheese, grated (2 cups)
- ½teaspoon black pepper
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
657 calories; 40 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 29 grams protein; 626 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, lightly brown the kielbasa until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Melt the butter in the skillet. Stir in the onion and thyme, and stir briefly to coat the onion with butter. Cook onion, without stirring, until dark brown, about 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and cook on low heat until very soft and caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons water and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer onion to a bowl.
- Step 2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon salt and the nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir well. The batter should be fairly wet, with a consistency slightly thicker than pancake batter.
- Step 3
Spread a clean dish towel flat on a work surface adjacent to the stove. Working over the pot of boiling water, press dough through a spaetzle maker or use a rubber spatula to push it through a colander with holes at least ¼-inch wide. Drop dough into the water. When dumplings rise to the surface, use a slotted spoon to transfer to the towel.
- Step 4
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the spaetzle and kielbasa in the bowl with the onions, and add 1½ cups cheese and the pepper. Spread into a 2-quart gratin dish. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining ½ cup cheese. Bake until golden and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.
Private Notes
Comments
I agree that the spätzle proportions are a bit off. My old reliable recipe calls for 2 cups flour, 1 cup milk and 4 eggs. I add 1tsp dry mustard, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 2 TBL chopped parsley. Let the mixture stand for at least 30 minutes for more tender dumplings.
I have a non-stick perforated pizza pan with 1/4 inch holes. It fits flat
on top of the pot and I push portions of the batter/dough through with a plastic dough scraper, cutting off the length of the dumplings as I want. Easy.
Next time I will skip making the spaetzle from scratch and just use the pre-made kind. It was seriously the most stupid cooking experience I have ever had and I am a pretty good cook. Using a colander was a massive mess, the dough was super gooey, I was swearing at my dog, boo.
This is a great recipe for a gloomy, wet, wintry day. I used Gruyere cheese rather than Emmentaler because I like Gruyere better. I made the "spaetzle" by dropping bits of dough into the water (I do not have a spaetzle maker or an appropriate colander), which worked well, even though it is not the traditional method.
The vegetarian version (I used 1lb bought spätzle): Cut a 7oz. block of smoked tofu (save any smoky liquid to add to onions) into squares roughly equal to the size of kielbasa slices. Fry in olive oil until browned and almost burnt. Set aside in a large bowl. Add onions as directed. After they have softened and begin to brown in earnest, strew sliced mushrooms over the top (4 large crimini) and allow to steam. 7-8 minutes later, stir into onions and continue as directed. At 25-30 minutes, add 3/4-1 c. Thinly sliced cabbage. Strew over the top and allow to soften. Continue as directed until the whole thing is caramelised, about 45 minutes in total. As needed, deglaze with white wine. Just before it’s done, stir in 2tsp. tamari and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. When ready, add to bowl with the tofu and add the packaged spatzl. Allow to soften momentarily so the noodles come apart. Add the cheese and continue as directed. Serve with as much black pepper as you can stand. 10/10, will make again.
This is a terrific dish but use a real spaetzle maker (easy to find online) and follow the directions that come with it. Store-bought dry spaetzle does not have the same taste or texture: dried spaetzle tastes like pasta, whereas proper freshly-made spaetzle will be soft like dumplings. I serve this with braised red cabbage and a German potato salad.
I just buy ready-made spaetzle (Bechtel) from Amazon. And I use Walmart brand Swiss cheese. Very easy, fairly quick. I'm going to try to make the Swiss cheese into more of a cheese sauce in order to make it creamier.