Spätzle mit Pilzen (German Pasta with Mushrooms)

The last few times I visited Germany, I always made a habit of stopping in the magazine section at the airport to spend my last few Euro on cooking magazines before boarding the plane home. I found this recipe for Spätzle mit Pilzen (German Pasta with Mushrooms) in one of the magazines I picked up at the end our honeymoon. This is now a common meal whenever Evan is having a bad couple of days with teething- currently his 2 year molars. He loves mushrooms, Spätzle are easy to eat, and the meal has plenty of calories to keep him full. It is also quite the comfort food for me.

I used a Spaetzle Pressto make the Spätzle. If you don’t have one, a large-holed colander and wooden spoon will work too.

Use any of your favorite mushrooms to toss with the Spätzle. I don’t have many varieties of mushrooms available in my area, so I usually stick to Baby Bella.

Spätzle mit Pilzen (German Pasta with Mushrooms)
Adapted from Clever Kochen: 3×100 Rezepte 1/10
4 servings

Ingredients:
500 grams (~3 1/4 cups) Flour
6 Eggs
½ tsp Salt
Mineral water

Mushroom Sauce:
21 ounces (600 grams) Mushrooms
1 White Onion
2 tablespoons (40 grams) unsalted butter
1 tbsp Flour
2/3 cups (150 ml) Beef Broth
1 cup (250 ml) Cream
2 tbsp chopped Parsley
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

In a large bowl, sift flour. Whisk in eggs and salt. Gradually add the water (around 1 cup) until the dough develops. It should be sticky to touch and just thin enough to be pushed through spätzle maker or a large holed colander with spoon.

Bring water with salt to a simmer. Place a spaetzle press or large holed colander over the pot and fill with batter. Slide the press back and forth or use a wooden spoon to press the batter through the holes of the colander to create the dumplings. Stir gently to remove any pieces from the bottom of the pot. Cook until they float to the top, remove with a strainer, and drain.

Clean the mushrooms and cut into slices. Peel the onion and dice.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat and add the onions. Add the mushrooms and toss well. Season with salt and pepper, simmer for 5 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.

Sprinkle flour into the skillet. Stir in broth and cream. Simmer for about 5 minutes until it thickens. Stir in the mushrooms and season if needed. Cook until just heated through. Toss with the spätzle on serving plate. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.