Cheese Shop Käsespätzle
Spätzle is a dumpling-like pasta that is associated mostly with German cuisine, but can be found all over Eastern Europe and beyond. It is served as a simple side dish, used in soups and stews, or, leave it to the Swiss, coated with a melty cheese sauce. Yes, please! Spätzle is fairly easy to make from scratch, but what a time saver to find it dried and packaged like pasta. This cheesy wonder is so easy to make, and such a fun play on American Mac and Cheese. The whole family will love it, I promise (said the lady with three picky-eating sons). Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 bag Bechtle Bavarian Style Spätzle*
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons Black & Bolyard Brown Butter*
1/2 pound Beaufort cheese, grated*
salt & pepper
*Items with an asterisk can be found at The Cheese Shop of Salem.
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onions and cook over high heat for about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and continue to sauté until the onions are caramelized, about 15 -20 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt & pepper
Remove onions from the pan. Add the brown butter to the pan and hold on low heat.
Fill a large stock pot with water. Bring water to a boil and salt generously. Add spätzle and boil for 12 minutes.
Raise the heat of the sauté pan to high, and using a spider strainer, ladle the spätzle into the sauté pan. Cook over high heat for about 2 minutes, making sure the spätzle is coated with the brown butter. Reduce the heat to medium, add in the cheese and pasta water as needed to create a cheese sauce to coat the spätzle. Season as needed with salt and pepper.
Set aside about 2 tablespoons of the onions. Turn off of the heat and stir in the onions. The end result should be a creamy, loose sauce that is coats the spätzle. Spoon into individual bowls or one big one, top with remaining onions.
Serves: 6