While on vacation in Sankt Gilgen, Austria I had this typical Austrian dish called “Käsespatzen”. It consists of Spaetzle noodles and grated hard cheese that is alternately stacked and garnished with fried onions, then baked in a hot oven
In Swabia, the Käsespätzle are traditionally prepared with mountain cheese and/or Emmentaler cheese. In Vorarlberg there is a different type of preparation; you can find Montafon Käsespätzle with Montafoner sour cheese, and Bregenzerwald Cheese Spaetzle or Käsespätzle with mountain cheese and Räßkäse.
Some Tips for making the perfect Spaetzle dough:
Instead of regular flour, you could mix 80% all purpose and 20% Semolina flour. Instead of water you can use carbonated water.
If using a Spaetzle press, the dough has to be somewhat thicker.
Basic Spaetzle recipe in pictures below (scroll to full Recipe with video on the bottom)
Spaetzle ingredients: 3 medium eggs 1/4 cup milk or water (lukewarm) 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, salt and pepper 
Place milk in a bowl 
Drop eggs in bowl with milk and whisk 
Add nutmeg and salt, pepper to flour 
Make a groove in the flour and combine the egg mixture with the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Let rest for 1 hr. Prepare the Spaetzle (watch video in recipe section) 
Swipe dough on Spaetzle maker and let drop into simmering water 
Making Spaetzle with a press 
Drop Spaetzle batter in medium boiling water, cook for several minutes until they swim on top 
Cheese Spaetzle before placing it nto the oven 
Place French fried onions on top (or cook from scratch) 5 min. before finished baking 
Cheese Spaetzle, Kaese Spaetzle 
Another option Spinach Spaetzle. Recipe on AngiesWeb 
Spaetzle with pork steaks and mushrooms
A Spätzle maker can be found on Amazon below:
FYI: With a Spätzle press you can also make Spaghetti ice cream
This dish was served to me in Sankt Gilgen, Austria. Käsespätzle are stacked in a pan, then placed into the oven
To serve the authentic Käsespätzle in an oven safe pan that can be bought here on Amazon:
Side dishes with Cheese Spätzle is usually Boston lettuce mixture. Applesauce is also common with Käsespätzle in the Vorarlberg Oberland and in Liechtenstein. Leftovers of the Spätzle can be fried with butter in a pan.
Also try another variation like Spinach Spätzle
Cheese Spaetzle (Käsespätzle)
Ingredients
- Step 1: Base recipe batter
- 3 medium eggs
- 1/4 cup milk or water (lukewarm). Preferable is carbonated water.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 80% reg. flour and 20% semolina flour)
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
- Step 2: Stacking the Spaetzle with cheese:
- Casserole dish or oven safe pan
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese (or Swiss if not available)
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, preferable white, sliced thin or French Fried Onions
Some Tips for making the perfect Spaetzle dough:
Instead of regular flour, you could mix 80% all purpose and 20%
Semolina flour. Instead of water you can use carbonated water.
If using a Spaetzle press, the dough has to be somewhat thicker.
You will need a Spaetzle maker that you can purchase here on AmazonInstructions
- Whisk the milk, eggs in a medium bowl.
- In a larger bowl mix the flour, dash of nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 tsp ground pepper.
- Drop the egg mixture into the middle of the flour (make a groove), stir.
- Beat by hand with a wooden spoon until smooth. It must be firm but easily flowing.
- If the dough is too thin, add some flour.
- Cover and refrigerate the batter for at least 30 minutes (or longer, up to 24 hours).
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- In a large pot bring salted water to a boil.
- Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
- Hold a Spaetzle maker (or colander with large holes) over the boiling water.
- Before putting the batter on the Spätzle maker, pour some of the hot water over it.
- Add about 1/2 cup of the batter to the Spätzle maker and press it into the simmering water with a spatula or spoon.
- Repeat until all the batter has been used.
- Cook the Spaetzle for 2 minutes longer until they swim on top, then remove with a slotted spoon.
- Transfer the Spätzle to the ice water, swirling the dumplings until all of the ice melts.
- Drain, then transfer to a large bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, season
- Oil an oven safe frying pan.
- Spread the Spätzle in the dish and dot with some cut up butter and grated hard cheese which is alternately stacked.
- Bake 400F for about 20 minutes, or until the Spätzle is hot and the cheese is melted
- Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a medium skillet.
- Slice the onion(s) very thin.
- Turn the onions in some white flour, seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Cook the onion slices over high heat until golden brown.
- Lay the fried onions over the Spätzle, some chives or parsley for decoration and serve.
Notes
Cover Spätzle with fried onions and chives for decoration, then serve.
The recipe requires an oven safe (400F) frying pan. Here are some of my picks:
Also known for Kaesepaetzle, Kasspaetzle, Kasespatzle, Käsespätzle