Once considered a poor man's dish, spaetzle has found its way into both professional and home kitchens. This small German dumpling, often made by traditional methods, can be made with tools you probably already own. Traditional methods include scraping thin strips of dough from a wooden board into a pot of boiling water, or using a spaetzle maker, designed to push dough through large holes. Make spaetzle faster and easier in your own kitchen, using simple tools such as a large holed colander, or a box grater and a spatula.
Things You'll Need
Oven mitt
Colander or box grater
Large spoon
Spatula
Knife
Step 1
Bring salted water to boil in a large pot on the stove. Reduce the boiling water to a simmer. Place an oven mitt on the hand that will hold the colander or box grater to avoid being burnt by steam.
Step 2
Hold a large holed colander or box grater in your mitted hand over the simmering water. Fill the colander with dough using a large spoon; alternatively, for the box grater, hold it on its side, and fill the inside with dough.
Step 3
Push the dough through the holes of the colander with a spatula. For the box grater, place the spatula inside and push the dough through.
Step 4
Allow dough to fall from the holes into the simmering water. Use a knife to scrape the dough from the bottom of the colander or box grater into the boiling water, if necessary.
Tip
Put your dough in a covered container, and then place it in the refrigerator while the water boils. Dough will become firmer, thus making it easier to pass through the colander or box grater holes.
Pass the dough through the holes in batches so you don't overcrowd the spaetzle in the pot. Spray the colander or box grater with cooking spray to help release the dough into the water.
Spaetzle is very forgiving, and can take extra flour or water if necessary to create the ideal dough consistency for passing through the holes of the colander or box grater.