Spinatspätzle, or Tyrolean spinach dumplings, are a classic of South Tyrolean cuisine. They are very easy and above all very quick to prepare, and are enjoyed by both adults and children. The traditional version is dressed with cream, cooked ham and grated Parmesan, but if you prefer you can make them even more flavorful by replacing the cooked ham with speck.
The batter for Spinatspätzle is very simple to prepare, with boiled and blended spinach, eggs, water, nutmeg and, of course, flour. I like to use Regiograno spelt flour from Molino Merano, which has a light hazelnut note and makes the Spätzle even tastier. It is also produced from cereals grown exclusively in South Tyrol.
Originally Spätzle were made by pouring the batter onto a moistened wooden board and, with the help of a special scraper or knife, scraping small pieces directly into the water. Later specific tools were devised to speed up this operation, called “Spätzlehobel”. There are various types. Some are similar to a grater, with a kind of container where the batter is placed and then moved back and forth to drop the Spätzle into the water; others resemble a plate with round holes, which is placed directly over the pot and the batter is poured into it, then spread back and forth with a scraper so it falls into the water.
Both are valid, although the second is easier to clean.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 8 oz spinach, cooked, boiled (well squeezed (about 2 cups))
- 2 eggs
- 5 fl oz water (about 2/3 cup)
- 1 7/8 cups Regiograno spelt flour (Molino Merano)
- to taste salt
- to taste nutmeg
- 5 oz cooked ham (prosciutto cotto)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup heavy cream (fresh)
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste nutmeg
Steps
To prepare the Spinatspätzle, bring plenty of water to a boil in a large pot and salt it.
In the meantime prepare the batter for the Spätzle.
Place the spinach (boiled and well squeezed) in a tall container, blend everything with an immersion blender and pour into a bowl. Add the eggs, nutmeg, salt and mix. Then add three quarters of the water and mix again. Add the flour and work everything vigorously with a wooden spoon, gradually adding more water until you obtain a thick and homogeneous batter. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.
Cut the slices of cooked ham into small cubes. Melt the butter in a pan and brown the ham for a couple of minutes. Pour in the cream, season with salt and pepper. Stir and continue cooking over low heat while you cook the Spätzle.
Take the Spätzle grater, place it directly over the pot with the salted water, pour in the batter and let many small dumplings fall into the water until the batter is used up. When they float to the surface, let them simmer gently for one minute, then remove them from the water with a skimmer and transfer them directly to the pan with the cream and ham. Mix everything together and serve immediately with grated Parmesan.
Tips
To make the Spinatspätzle even more flavorful, you can replace the cooked ham with strips of speck.
