During my year studying abroad in Salzburg, Austria, I ate plenty of amazing, uniquely Austrian things: seeded breads and marzipan-filled pastries, hoppy beer, tart potato salad, käsekrainer (cheese-filled wursts) from street vendors, and more schnitzel than I’d care to admit. But the dish that I found there—and now, crave more than any other—isn’t really that different than one of my American favorites. Maybe its familiarity is why it’s so beloved to me.
The dish is käsespätzle, an Austrian relative to mac and cheese. I first had this dish at the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt, one of the annual holiday markets that take over Europe from November to January. With a tiny disposable wooden fork in hand, I dove into the cheese pullable dish: Pillowy, noodle-like spätzle mixed with Gruyère and caramelized onions, then topped with crispy shallots. It’s pure magic.
Since returning from my Salzburg, I have searched high and low for this dish at restaurants near me, but have had little luck. So I decided to figure out how to master it on my own, perfecting it over the course of two years. After attempts with too much cheese (I never thought I’d say those words), not enough flour, or pans full of burnt onions, I finally mastered the dish that I missed so much, and I’m excited for you to try it, too.
When preparing this dish, there are a couple of things to keep in mind: First, you don’t need a fancy spätzle maker—a colander with big holes or a flat vegetable grater both work wonderfully. Second, the batter is pretty forgiving: If it’s too thick to go through the holes, add an extra tablespoon of milk. And if it’s a bit too thin, add a tablespoon of flour and gently stir it into the batter before trying again. A rubber spatula or plastic bench scraper works well to help nudge the batter into the boiling water.
Käsespätzle can be served as a main dish or a side, perhaps alongside schnitzel or a roast. No matter which route you take, if you want the true Austrian experience, serve it with a vinegary side salad full of paper-thin cucumbers and big leaves of butter lettuce—the perfect way to cut the richness. Whether you cook it for a weeknight dinner or an Oktoberfest celebration with friends, this dish will transport you to the Alps (Steigl beer in hand) any day. —Delaney Vetter
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