Re-Visiting Spaetzle: Not Your Average Noodle

By Molly Durham in Food on Nov 15, 2011 9:20PM

You say pretzel, I say spaetzle! Ok, those are not the same thing. But that's probably the easiest way to remember how to pronounce these German egg noodles. Sometimes there's an item on a menu that you order just to be able to say the name out loud. Sometimes you sweat knowing you're gonna have to pronounce it to the waiter. Spaetzle might be one of those nerve-wracking ones that's worth the challenge.

We've explained spaetzle (a.k.a. spätzle) to you before. They're often tossed with butter or added to soups, accompanied by a sauce or gravy or pan-fried with a little butter and onions, but some Chicago restaurants are definitely doing more interesting things with them.

Sauces drench many spaetzle dishes, making them a creamy mess of deliciousness. Try it in a gooey German mac n cheese at Morso with mushroom, gouda and breadcrumbs or with sour cream paprika sauce, chicken and cabbage at Laschet's Inn.

It's also being served alongside meats, like the smoked rabbit with mustard spaetzle, caramelized fennel and onion and monks prune glaze at Leopold. Now that's a load of flavors. Or you can get really serious in celebrating everything German and get it alongside a beef or pork dishes like the beef rouladen or braised pork shank at Chicago Brauhaus and the grilled venison medallions at Berghoff.

Purchase it dry and make it yourself; you can find it in surprising places, like Aldi or specialty grocery stores. Any way you have it, they're a nice way to switch up your usual pasta dishes.