Spaetzle

This is one of my husband's favourites. I don't think it is really a Mennonite specialty although it is very similar to Kielke. In Germany it is served alongside pork and schnitzel.

Spaetzle is wonderful served plain but is often served up smothered in mushroom gravy or fried with onions and bacon.

For those of us who have to watch our weight, a smaller helping is advised but do try them.

This is a Spaetzle maker. Prior to getting it as a gift from my Swiss neighbour, I placed a flat grater over my pot of boiling water and used a spatula to "wipe" the batter over the grater. You could also use a colander with large holes.

However the Spaetzle maker makes it much easier to do. You can find them at many kitchen stores. The idea is to place the spaetzle maker over a large pot of boiling water. You fill the little square box with batter and then push the box back and forth over the grater holes allowing the batter to drop by little globs into the boiling water.

When the batter is gone, you let the spaetzle cook a few minutes longer and then drain and serve.

For the batter you will need:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3/4 cup milk

1. Place flour and salt in mixing bowl.
2. Add eggs to milk and stir into flour until a sticky batter is formed.
3. Bring water to a boil in a large pot, add salt.
4. Place batter by spoonfuls in spaeztle maker or colander and push batter back and forth allowing it to fall in small globs into the boiling water.
5. Stir spaetzle in pot occasionally to keep them from sticking together.(I often add a little vegetable oil to the pot)
6. After the batter is used up, cook a minute or two longer.
7. Using a large colander, drain the water off and return spaetzle to pot.
8. Add 3 large Tbsp. of butter and stir.
9. Serve.
10. If you like, you can carmelize a chopped onion slowly in a Tbsp. or two of butter and stir these into the spaetzle before serving.

* I usually double this recipe because my husband loves them fried with bacon and onions the next day. That's if there are any leftovers.

A double recipe feeds 7 to 10 people.