Recipe Name: Spätzle with Tomato and Lemon
Category: Pasta Dishes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 00 Flour (all-purpose) | 250g |
| Eggs | 3 |
| Water | 150g |
| Nutmeg | To taste |
| Salt (fine) | 1 pinch |
| Cherry Tomatoes | 500g |
| Lemon Zest | 10g |
| Garlic | 1 clove |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil | 30g |
| Fresh Basil | 4 leaves |
| Salt (for boiling) | To taste |
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Tomato Sauce
Begin by preparing the tomato sauce. Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Heat a non-stick pan and add the olive oil. Once the oil is warm, add the garlic clove, lightly crushed, and sauté it for a minute until fragrant. Next, add the halved cherry tomatoes and season with a pinch of salt. Toss in the fresh basil leaves and cover the pan with a lid. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 10 minutes, letting the tomatoes soften and release their juices.
Step 2: Prepare the Water for Spätzle
While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the spätzle. The boiling water will be used to cook the spätzle once they are formed.
Step 3: Make the Spätzle Dough
In a large bowl, sift the flour and add a pinch of salt. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, whisking continuously. Slowly pour in the room-temperature water while mixing, ensuring that the dough is smooth and slightly sticky. The consistency should be similar to a thick pancake batter. Once the dough is ready, set it aside.
Step 4: Cook the Spätzle
Once the water for the spätzle has come to a rolling boil, remove the garlic from the tomato sauce and set it aside. If you have a spätzle maker, place it over the pot of boiling water and spoon a ladle of dough into the maker. Move it back and forth to let the dough fall into the water in small, dumpling-like shapes. If you don’t have a spätzle maker, you can use a potato masher (just make sure the dough is a little thicker for this method). Continue until all the dough is used.
The spätzle will cook quickly, just like gnocchi – they will float to the surface once they are done. As they rise, gently scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the pan with the tomato sauce.
Step 5: Combine Spätzle with the Sauce
Once all the spätzle are cooked and drained, transfer them into the tomato sauce. Grate the zest of one lemon over the spätzle, and stir everything together to coat the noodles with the flavorful sauce. Let them sauté together for a minute or two, allowing the flavors to combine. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh ground pepper.
Step 6: Plate and Serve
Plate the spätzle and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately while hot for a flavorful, refreshing meal.
Your Spätzle with Tomato and Lemon is ready to be enjoyed!
This dish combines the freshness of lemon and the richness of a tomato sauce, making for a unique and delightful pasta dish that is easy to prepare and bursting with flavor. The simple addition of fresh basil and a touch of nutmeg enhances the aromatic profile of this dish, offering a perfect balance of sweetness, tanginess, and herbal notes.
