SPÄTZLI - "PRESTO PASTA NIGHT" 1ST B'DAY

Yay, this weekend, Ruth's "Presto Pasta Nights" is one year old!!! Wow, time flies by ever so quickly...

So what is this all about, you might ask me. Well, here's what you have to know:

Every week, Ruth at "Once Upon A Feast" from Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada) organizes an event that takes place weekly, on Fridays. It's called "Presto Pasta Nights" (see infos and rules). The 52nd edition is already on it's way and as you have maybe guessed, it's all about pasta!

Ruth's aim is to host a weekly round-up of the recipes that we, foodbloggers, have created/made and want to share with others via her great blog. Isn't it an awesome idea? Well, get cooking, folks!

I love foreign or exotic foods, yet my passion for the Swiss Cuisine has never died. I have much admiration for our unique gastronomic heritage and I don't want our regional culinary traditions to disappear. Therefore, I fervently try to collect recipes and to learn how to make as many Swiss dishes as possible...

Switzerland has a lot to offer and, although, most of our specialities might be too humble or too much rooted in the countryside for the gourmet palate of certain people. Anyhow, it is nonetheless a culinary patrimony that we have to keep and nurture for the future generations worldwide. It has as much worth as any other cuisine!

"Spätzli" (pronounce "shpates-lee") could be qualified as "farmers' pasta“. It is a typical Swiss-German (Eastern Switzerland) speciality which is somehow comparable to the Southern German, Austrian, Italian (from Bolzano) or French (from Alsace) “Spätzle” (both being chunky and basic types of egg pasta/dumpling noodles). The main difference resides in their shape. "Spätzle" are very long and thin and "Spätzli" are small/short and rather thick .

Originally, they were meant to give a sufficiently nourishing meal for the countryside people who worked hard during the day and had only simple goods/ingredients (milk, flour, eggs, cheese, onions, apples, etc…) to cook with.

This dish is now very well spread in all regions of Switzerland and, as it is quite versatile, the original recipe has since long been adapted to our modern needs and tastes. They can be paired with just about anything and presented in many different ways.

“Spätzli” is one of my favorite Swiss foods as it’s simple to make, so scrumptious and soul-warming!!! It is maybe a very basic dish, but on the other side, it is so compelling! I especially recommend you to eat this tasty and hearty speciality on grey winter days when you are in need for comfort food, while cocooning at home…

~ Canton Sankt-Gall ~

~ Spätzli ~
Recipe by "Betty Bossi" and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Basic recipe for 4 people.

Ingredients:
400g Plain white flour
200g Durum flour (“semolina di grano duro”)
150ml Milk
150ml Water
6 Eggs (~50-53g each)
2 Tsp Salt

Method:
1. Mix the flours and salt together in a bowl.
2. Whisk the eggs together with the milk and water.
3. Pour the egg/milk/water mixture into the bowl containing the flours and salt. Beat well until the pastry is shiny and makes bubbles.
4. Cover the bowl and reserve at room temperature for around half an hour.
5. Put water to boil (3 liters minimum) and add a tablespoon salt.
6. Once the water is boiling, bring the heat down and let the water simmer gently.
7. Sieve the pastry into the boiling water (through a medium-holed sieve) helping yourself with a spatula. Proceed in batches.
8. When the “Spätzli” are floating on the surface of the water, take them out with a perforated skimmer.
9. Place the cooked “Spätzli” in a heatproof bowl or dish, add some butter, mix well and keep warm in the oven.

Remarks:
If you can't find "Durum Flour" anywhere, then here's an alternate recipe: "Plain Flour
Spätzli" or replace the flour mixture by 250 plain white flour and 50g cream of wheat.
The pastry should not be too runny; it should be thickish and viscous. Your arm should ache while beating the mixture.
Once the “Spätzli” have been cooked, you can add a little butter (stops them from sticking together).

Serving suggestions:
"Spätzli" are widely appreciated as an accompaniment (side dish) to wild meat/venison served with chestnuts and bilberry jam.
They are also fine when spiced up (curry powder, garlic powder,tomatoe purée, pesto, etc…), enriched (cheese, dry meat, spinach, etc…) or prepared as a sweet dish.
You could also enrich the basic pastry with spices/ingredients (cheese, herbs, ground meat, etc…) as long as it’s consistency is still correct.
They can be used in the same way as pasta or served as main course when oven-baked like a gratin, and can be eaten either “al-dente” or slightly fried in butter, until nice and golden.

***************

~ Spätzli ~
Recette par "Betty Bossi" et adaptée par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Recette de base pour 4 personnes.

Ingrédients:
400g de Farine blanche/fleur
200g de Farine de semoule de blé dur (“semolina di grano duro”)
150ml de Lait
150ml d'Eau
6 Oeufs (~50-53g pièce)
2 CC de Sel

Méthode:
1. Dans un bol, mélanger les farines et le sel.
2. Battre les oeufs avec le lait et l'eau.
3. Verser le mélange oeufs/lait/eau dans le bol où se trouvent les farines et le sel. Bien battre jusqu'à obtention d'une pâte brillante, lisse et qui fasse des bulles.
4. Couvrir le bol et laisser reposer environ 30 minutes à température ambiante.
5. Porter environ 3 litres d'eau à ébulition et ajouter une cuillère à soupe de sel.
6. Une fois que l'eau frémit, baisser la température et laisser gentiment mijoter (à feu doux).
7. A l'aide d'une spatule, passez la pâte au tamis/à la passoire (trous moyens/voir ici), au-dessus de l'eau frémissante (les faire tomber dans l'eau). Procéder par petites quantités.
8. Dès que les “Spätzli" seront remontés à la surface, repêchez-les à l'aide d'une cuillère à trous et les égoutter (tamis).
9. Les mettre dans plat résistant à la chaleur, ajouter une noix de beurre, bien mélanger et les garder au chaud (au four à 90° C).

~ Graubünden High Lands ~

Remarques:
Si vous ne trouvez pas de "Farine De Semoule De Blé (Farine pour "Knöpflis")" chez vous, alors vous pouvez remplacer le mélange de farines par 250g de farine fleur/blanche et 50g de semoule de blé.
La pâte ne doit pas être trop coulante; elle doit être assez épaisse et visqueuse. Les muscles de votre bras doivent être fatigués lorsque vous battez la pâte.
Une fois les “Spätzli” cuits, vous pouvez ajouter un peu de beurre (ça les empêche de coller).

Idées de présentation:
Les "Spatzli" sont appréciés en tant qu'accompagnement lorsque l'on mange de la chasse. Ce plat est alors servi avec des marrons et de la confiture d'airelle.
Ils sont aussi délicieux lorsqu'ils sont épicés/arômatisés avec de la poudre de curry, de l'ail en poudre, de la purée de tomates, du pesto, etc…, enrichis avec du fromage, de la viande séchée, du lard, des épinards, etc… ou préparés afin d'en faire un plat sucré.
Vous pouvez incorporer tous les ingrédients et épices (fromage, herbes, viande hachée, etc...) que vous voulez à la pâte de base, mais veillez à ce que leur consistance soit toujours correcte.

Ils peuvent être utilisés tels des pâtes italiennes ou être gratinés, et peuvent être mangés “al-dente” ou légèrement rôtis dans du beurre jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient grillés et dorés.

("Sankt-Gall" and "Graubünden High Lands" Pics by Barbara Kehl www.trekearth.com)