Cheese Spaetzle ('Kässpätzle')
Cheese Spaetzle ('Kässpätzle')
- Prep time
- 14 min
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- For the caramelized onions:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 10 ounces (285 g) yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced, about 2.5 cups
- For the spaetzle:
- 4 servings (18 ounces | 500 g) cooked spaetzle
- 7 ounces (2.5 cups | 200 g) shredded mountain cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
- To garnish:
- 1-2 cups clarified butter or canola oil, for deep-frying
- 5 ounces (140 g) red onions, peeled and thinly sliced, about 1.5 cups
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- salt, to taste
- a handful of finely chopped chives
Instructions
- 1
Caramelize the onions:
- 2
Melt the butter in a nonstick saute pan over low heat and add your onion slices. Let them slowly caramelize until golden brown. This took me about 45 minutes. Don't rush the process. Keep the heat low and remember to stir the onions now and then so they don't burn. While they caramelize, you have time to prepare the spaetzle.
- 3
Preheat your oven to 430 °F (220 °C).
- 4
Assemble and bake your cheese spaetzle:
- 5
In a large mixing bowl, combine the spaetzle, cheese, heavy cream, and caramelized onions. Mix well and season to taste with nutmeg. You don't need to add any salt as the spaetzle and cheese are already salty. Spread the cheese spaetzle out in an ovenproof iron or nonstick saute pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of your preheated oven and bake the spaetzle until the cheese has melted and they become slightly crispy on top, about 20-25 minutes (be careful if any of the caramelized onions are exposed on top as they burn easily).
- 6
Prepare the fried onion topping:
- 7
While the cheese spaetzle bake in the oven, heat the clarified butter or canola oil in a small saute or saucepan to about 320 °F (160 °C). Dust your onion slices with flour and drop them in the hot oil (work in batches if they don't fit in the pan in one layer). Fry the onion slices until they turn crispy and golden brown. Don't let them turn too dark as they will get bitter otherwise. Pull them out shortly before you think they are ready and place them on a paper towel to drain any excess oil. Lightly salt the onion slices right after frying.
- 8
Serve the cheese spaetzle:
- 9
Top your baked cheese spaetzle generously with minced chives and the fried onions. Serve with a tangy green salad on the side.