Herb-Speckled Spaetzle. I like the way that sounds. I keep saying it to myself just to hear it.
I have vague memories of making spaetzle with my sister when we were kids. My mom had this set of Time-Life international cookbooks and we were poring over the German book one day. We decided to make something from it. My memory isn’t terribly clear, but I think we settled on spaetzle simply because we had all the ingredients on hand. I don’t remember much about actually making the spaetzle, but I do recall it not being very successful. In fact, it was a big failure. We may or may not have been able to even get a taste of our labors. (Aside: Mom – was the gingerbread house you made inspired by this one on the cover? It sure looks familiar!)
Happily, my experience making Herb-Speckled Spaetzle was much more successful, though it was fraught with drama! The mixing of the dough is quite simple. It’s the formation of the “spaetzles” (is that a word?) that is tricky. Basically, you are to push small amounts of the dough through the holes of a colander or cheese grater into boiling water to cook. I read somewhere that someone used the large holes on their food mill to do the job. Sounds great! Except I think the largest holes on my food mill are not big enough because it did not work. I quickly grabbed the colander…but still the holes were not big enough. Hmmm… We have a cheese grater with larger than normal holes – it worked! But the whole thing is very tedious.
After boiling the spaetzle, the noodles are cooked with mushrooms and onions to make a tasty side dish. I served mine with roast chicken, but it would be good with a lot of things. My daughter LOVED this!! She asked for fourths. I really liked it too, but I’m not sure I will go to the trouble of making it again.
This post participates in French Fridays with Dorie, an online cooking group cooking our way through Dorie Greenspan’s book Around My French Table. If you are interested in trying this recipe you can find it on Epicurious.
From Scratch 
Yeah, it was a bit of trouble for me too. It tasted good, and it made for a good meal, but whew! I’ll have to find an easier way to do it if I make it again. Yours looks terrific, especially with that nice roasted chicken!
I used a flat grater and it worked pretty well. We also enjoyed this dish. I love that your daughter had fourths!! Good for her!
If she had fourths you may have to make it again. How could you deprive her? And, yes, that is the gingerbread house that I used as inspiration along with their recipe for the gingerbread.
The spaetzle looks delicious!
I actually have a Spaetzle “maker?”…I made it once without one and decided I need to have the tool. Haven’t made it since. This looks inspiring enough to give it a go! Yum!!
I love that your daughter asked for fourths. That is a hit, for sure. I really enjoyed discovering this dish. It was completely new to me. It sounds perfect with the roast chicken.
It is pretty time-consuming, but if your daughter asked for fourths, it qualifies as a hit, all the same.
Thank you for having the same experience as I had and posting truthfully about it. Makes me feel like not-so-alone-in-failure. If we try it again, we can buy spaetzle makers that are priced from $6.99 to $70. I do have to admit, like you and your daughter, that herb-speckled spaetzle was delicious. What child asks for fourths if it isn’t dessert??? Yea, Mom. Loved that your Mother had the complete Time-Life International Cookbook Series. I inherited one or two but not the entire collection. If that was the gingerbread house from your youth, you were a lucky child.
I have a hunch you will find an improved way of making these – had I had fourths of a dish my Mom made, I’d make sure to ask her when will she be making it again or requesting it for my birthday meal. 🙂
It was a tedious process – which means i am very glad that the flavor was there. (I used a grater and spent quite a bit of time pushing dough through the holes).
Sounds like it was a hit – so I hope that made it all worth while!
Boy do I agree, tedious and quite a mess in the kitchen! Your recipe looks beautiful and I am sure very tasty, also.
This looks so delicious, Karen. I am looking forward to making this dish. I am behind already this year! 😉