Maultaschen are German dumplings filled with spinach, ground meat, onions, and bread. They are from Schwaben (Swabia) in eastern Baden-Württemberg and part of western Bavaria.
The most common legend explaining the creation of these dumplings involves Cistercian monks from the Maulbronn Monastery in the 1600s. The monks were given some meat during the famine, but it was also Lenten season and meat was forbidden. They finely chopped the meat and mixed it with spinach and herbs as a disguise. Then, they covered the mixture with pasta to hide the meat further.
More information on the history of Maultaschen.
Maultaschen are normally large and rectangular shaped, but I have also eaten them as small slices in Munich. The above photos on the right show this way of preparing them. Create a long, thin sheet of pasta and spread with a layer of filling. Wrap up tightly length-wise and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour to let settle. Slice into 1/2 inch pieces and boil in broth until heated through.
The photos below show the maultaschen prepared this way. The photo on the left is Maultaschen in ox broth served at the Münchner Suppenküche in the Viktualienmarkt in Munich, Germany. The photo on the right is sliced Maultaschen pan-fried with onions, eggs, and cheese in Füssen, Germany.
Of all the dumplings, Maultaschen are my favorite. This recipe makes quite a few Maultaschen and I freeze the extra. They still never last long. I especially love the way they were prepared in Füssen, pan-fried with onions, egg, and cheese. Chad liked them in München, boiled in ox broth. This was a great way to get Evan to eat spinach too.
Ingredients
3 eggs
4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour
1 pound spinach, cooked, chopped, and drained
1 cup cooked ground pork
1 onion, grated
4 slices white bread with crust
1/2 cup milk or water
salt and pepper to taste
pinch nutmeg
4 eggs
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water
Broth
Chopped fresh parsley or chives
Toasted bread crumbs
In a medium bowl, beat together the 3 eggs with the water and salt.
In the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a dough blade, add flour. Add beaten egg mixture and process until a smooth dough forms. If too sticky, add a little flour. If too dry, add a little water.
In a large bowl, combine spinach, pork, and grated onion.
In a medium bowl, soak the 4 bread slices in milk or water for about 3 minutes. Squeeze out the liquid and crumble into the filling mixture. Stir in the 4 eggs until well blended.
Use a pasta machine or rolling pin to roll the pasta dough into thin sheets. Cut the sheets into 3 inch squares. Place a rounded tablespoon of filling into the center of each square. Use your finger to slightly moisten the edges with the egg yolk beaten in 1 teaspoon water. Fold the square to enclose the filling, pressing firmly to seal. Continue until all filling or pasta has been used.
At this point, the maultaschen can be frozen in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
To cook, boil maultaschen, a few at a time to not overcrowd, for 10 minutes, until heated through. Serve in broth sprinkled with fresh herbs and toasted breadcrumbs.
Adapted from: The German Cookbook: A Complete Guide to Mastering Authentic German Cooking
Leave a Reply