I love eating spätzli in Switzerland where they’re also known as chnöpfli (or knoepfle). While the Germans and Austrians make spaetzli too, they serve them simply boiled – the butter-loving Swiss go a step further. Once boiled, Swiss spätzli are fried in butter – making them irresistible, especially with a creamy seafood or mushroom sauce! A special device called a spätzli pan can be used to shape the dumpling dough (see video below). Ours came from Switzerland with Franz in the 1970s but I’ve had trouble finding them today, even in Switzerland. The Swiss hausfrau method is to cut bits of dough off the edge of a chopping board held over the boiling water, but I think you need a Swiss Grossmutti to teach you this technique as I’ve never had any luck doing it. Thankfully pushing the dough through a piping bag and snipping off little bits works perfectly. Spätzli can be boiled a day ahead, refreshed in iced water then tossed with a little oil and refrigerated until ready to fry and serve. If you’re doubling or tripling this recipe, as we often do, rather than frying them it’s easier to use the oven: put them in a baking dish with the butter and bake at 200°C (400°F) for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Serves 2–4 as a side dish
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