Käsespätzle (Swabian Cheese Noodles with Crispy Onions)

Ingredients

For 5 portions

• 🌾 400g flour
• 🍳 4 medium egg
• 🥤 150ml tap water
• 🧂 1 Tsp salt
• 🌿 1 pinch nutmeg
• 🧀 250g gruyere cheese
• 🧅 3 medium onions
• 🧈 40g butter
• 🌿 10g chives
• 🌿 0.5 Tsp black pepper

Method

1. Beat the flour, eggs, water, salt and nutmeg with a wooden spoon for 3–4 minutes, until the batter is thick and smooth and starts to form bubbles. Rest for 15 minutes.
2. Slice the onions thinly. Fry them slowly in 25 g of the butter over a medium-low heat for 20–25 minutes until deep golden and crisp at the edges.
3. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and butter an ovenproof dish with some of the remaining butter. Grate the Gruyère (Emmental or Bergkäse are traditional too).
4. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Press the batter through a spätzle maker or a colander with large holes into the water, in batches. When the spätzle float, cook for 1 minute, then lift out with a slotted spoon.
5. Layer the drained spätzle in the dish with the cheese, seasoning each layer with pepper, and finishing with cheese. Dot with the remaining butter.
6. Bake for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted. Top with the onions and chopped chives and serve straight away, with a green salad.