Spaetzle is absolutely some of the best comfort food I know. I am surprised more people do not make this delicious and surprisingly easy dish. It really doesn’t take much effort, and it is fun to put together. I have done a post here on my first time making this tasty dish. But I decided to try out making spaetzle into an elevated special side dish or even a dinner if you want to have a more significant portion.
Spaetzle may be known for being dumplings. But to me, it is like pasta. So I thought what would be an easy and quick but an elegant way to make spaetzle into an amazing meal. I had a package of pancetta and some mushrooms sitting in my fridge. And along with some fresh thyme this became one of the most delicious things I’ve made in a long time! The flavors of the pancetta and the mushrooms gave the spaetzle an earthy flavor that I just love.
Really, this recipe is so easy once you make the spaetzle, and it can held, drained on some paper towels while you make the rest in just a few minutes. It is so uncomplicated and straightforward yet sophisticated. This spaetzle is so fabulous I couldn’t stop, and I ate so much my stomach hurt, in a good way.
I have included the spaetzle recipe from my first post plus what I did to mix in the pancetta, mushrooms, and fresh thyme. But there are many other ways you could serve spaetzle. I have found quite a few recipes with a mushroom cream sauce, and it is quite often served under a goulash. I, but this recipe is terrific as it shows off the flavor of all the ingredients, especially if you love bacon and mushrooms as I do. I was at a German restaurant to celebrate Octoberfest just this week, and they served spaetzle like mac and cheese, which I am sure it is fabulous, though a bit American! I ordered a plain side of their spaetzle just to compare theirs to mine. And I am proud to say My spaetzle was as good as theirs.
Buying a spaetzle maker is not hard, and you can find one on Amazon fairly cheaply. But if you don’t have one, a colander with large holes and a spatula works great. Let me know in the comments below if you have tried to make spaetzle and what you have served it with. I hope you give spaetzle a try.
Spaetzle with Pancetta bacon, Mushrooms, and Fresh Thyme is comfprt food elivated to a high leval. And yet it is easy and uncomplicated flavors make this dish wonderful anytime.
- 2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated if possible
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 large eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 oz chopped pancetta you can use bacon
- 10 oz mushrooms sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons butter
-
Bring a large pot of water to boil.
-
In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, the nutmeg, salt, and white pepper.
-
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, the eggs, and the egg yolks.
-
Whisk the sour cream mixture into the flour mixture.
-
When it has come to a complete boil, liberally salt the water.
-
Have a rimmed sheet pan lined with many paper towels, a bowl, or another large container ready to catch the cooked spaetzle.
-
Place a spaetzle maker over the boiling pot of water. If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, you can use a large metal strainer with large holes or even a grater.
-
Working in small batches, press the spaetzle batter through holes of the spaetzle maker or strainer into the water.
-
Let cook for 10 seconds or so until the dumplings float to the surface and are set.
-
Scoop out the cooked spaetzle and place it in the container while you cook more batches with the remaining batter.
-
Heat a large skillet 12 inch non-stick, if you have it, to medium.
-
Cook the pancetta until it has begun to render but still has not entirely browned.
-
Add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms have given up most of their liquid. Stir very often to keep the moisture evaporating and to make sure nothing browns too much.
-
Continue to cook until the pancetta and the mushrooms have begun to brown.
-
Add the butter and stir until the butter has completely melted.
-
Add in the cooked spaetzle.
-
Stir or toss the skillet if you are skilled enough to coat the spaetzle in the butter mushroom and pancetta mixture.
-
Continue to stir or toss until the spaetzle starts to turn a golden brown on at least half of the little spaetzle.
-
Stir in the thyme and cook just a few more minutes to cook through and to make the thyme fragrant.
Serve as a side dish or a more substantial portion as a main with a vegetable. You can garnish with a few sprigs of thyme if you want to be fancy.
