Cheese Spaetzle Casserole Recipe 55 Recipes

SPAETZLE WITH KIELBASA AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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 1/4-inch wide. Drop dough into the water. When dumplings rise to the surface, use a slotted spoon to transfer to the towel.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the spaetzle and kielbasa in the bowl with the onions, and add 1 1/2 cups cheese and the pepper. Spread into a 2-quart gratin dish. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until golden and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.

GERMAN CHEESE-NOODLE CASSEROLE (KäSESPäTZLE)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Start by making the caramelized onions about 1 hour before the casserole needs to go into the oven.
• Heat the butter and oil in a nonstick pan on medium. Turn heat to low and add onions. Stir every few minutes for about an hour, or until onions are lightly browned and sweet enough for your taste. Here is more information on caramelizing onions .
• Turn off the heat and set the onions aside.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Here is a step-by-step guide to making spätzle with a spätlebrett (wooden board used to make drop noodles). You may use a colander to form the noodles or a grater-like device with a hopper on it called a spätzle maker.
• Place a large pot of water on to boil. You can add salt if you wish.
• To make the dough, whisk together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. In a small bowl or measuring cup, beat the eggs with the water and add to the flour-salt mixture.
• Beat for several minutes or until dough is smooth. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then beat it again. Add water or flour to adjust consistency to a thick batter (a little thinner than brownie batter).
• Place half of the dough in the hopper of the spätzle maker which is placed over the simmering water. Push and pull the hopper back and forth, creating a dough wave inside the hopper. Little bits of dough will be pushed out the other side and drop into the water. They will be fatter and more teardrop-shaped than the spätzle you make with a board.
• The noodles drop to the bottom of the pot, then rise to the surface. Let them sit there for another 2 or 3 minutes, then scoop them out with a slotted spoon or small sieve. Rinse briefly in hot water, then drain well and set aside.
• Using the second half of the dough, make another batch of noodles. If the noodles stick to the bottom of the pan, give a quick stir to loosen. They should then rise to the top.
• Butter and line a 1 1/2- to 2-quart casserole dish with breadcrumbs .
• When noodles are done, add them to the (cooled) pan with the caramelized onions. Add the grated nutmeg and 3/4 of the grated cheese and stir to mix.
• Spoon noodles into the casserole, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake, covered, at 350 F for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes. If you like, brown the cheese topping with the broiler during the last 5 minutes.
• Serve hot.
• Enjoy.

SPAETZLE, SAUERKRAUT AND SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a metal colander.
• Whisk together the flour and salt in a bowl. Mix the eggs and water, and pour into the flour mixture. Stir to form a dough.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place the spaetzle dough into the oiled colander, and set the colander over the pot of water. Use a flexible spatula to push the dough into the boiling water through the holes in the colander. Stir the spaetzle as they boil. When they have floated to the top, they are done (about 5 minutes). Scoop the spaetzle out of the boiling water, and place into an ungreased 9x9-inch baking dish.
• Place the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, and cook, stirring often, until the bacon is crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon, leaving drippings in pan, and set aside. Cook the onion in the same pan as the bacon until browned, about 10 minutes.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat until foamy, and stir in the apple and brown sugar. Cook and stir until the apple is soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked bacon, onions, and sauerkraut into the skillet, and cook, stirring often, until the flavors have blended, about 5 minutes. Pour the sauerkraut mixture into the 9x9-inch baking dish on top of the spaetzle.
• Place the kielbasa pieces into a microwave-safe dish, and cook on full power in a microwave oven until the sausage is hot and has lost its pink color, 2 or 3 minutes. Transfer the sausage to the baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling, about 15 minutes.

KAESE SPAETZLE

Steps:

• Sift together flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Beat eggs in a medium bowl. Alternately mix in milk and the flour mixture until smooth. Let stand for 30 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Press batter through a spaetzle press into the water. You may also use a potato ricer, colander, or a cheese grater. When the spaetzle has floated to the top of the water, remove it to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Mix in 1 cup of the cheese.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook until golden. Stir in spaetzle and remaining cheese until well blended. Remove from heat, and serve immediately.