I second that! Great idea.

Rebecca, that's brilliant. You are a true kitchen genius.

I put the batter in a ziploc bag and squeeze droplets out of it that way - it's handy if you don't have the right size colander.

Sorry it didn't work out. Some conflicting info here so try and remember what your grandmothers was like if possible. Early in my career I worked at a hungarian restuarant and we made speatzle all night long. We had a large kettle full of water and we would poor the batter (that was the consistancy of a pancake batter) that we make for every batch and push it through a perferated hotel pan ( lots of holes) and fish it out with a spider and then saute in a pan with butter for service. If possible you might want to go to a kitchen store and look for something that has holes that are about the size as a pencil is round or even a little larger. I hope this helps. Good luck and don't give up! The old saying " at first you don't succeed, try, try again" ( or something like that) would be appropriate.

Thanks so much for the advice. Second batch was also a bust, but I'll revisit this advice when I'm feeling ballsy enough to attempt spaetzle again.

I make a Roman style stracciatella which is similar but the dough is firmer. I use a potato ricer to push the dough directly into simmering beef or veal broth.

You need something sturdy to help you form the thick, almost dough-like, batter. An upside-down perforated pizza pan or a wide aluminum pan with 1/4" holes punched through it will hold the dough over the pot while you use a spatula to quickly press some dough through the holes. This allows each batch to cook evenly--they should rise to the top of the pot at pretty much the same time.

@iuzzini- Great tip!

I've made it by smearing a thin layer of the batter on a cutting board and then using a a spatula to sort of slice and flick thin small strips of it into the pot of water. spaetzle is a delicious adventure. :)

I usually do the colander/spatula (or spoon) method too. Just make sure the colander holes aren't too tiny (makes it difficult and the pieces too tiny to have any tooth.) Also, don't crowd the pot - I do it in batches, scooping them out with a spider or slotted spoon as they float to the surface.

My grandmother used to do it with nothing more than a big wooden spoon - somehow dropping small consistent bits of batter. I guess it was all in the wrist....or maybe having done it regularly for 50+ yrs.

Thanks, ChefDaddy. I'm gonna thin the batter a bit per your suggestion.

Find something like a colander that has holes and push the batter through the holes with a rubber spatula into the water. You want to create little drops that create the shape. To do this the batter should be a liquid consistancy. a little thinner than pancake batter.