Tag Archives: Nokedli

Nokedli (Spätzle) – the cheapest side dish ever!

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Nokedli- Side Dish

Hungarian Nokedli
Image taken from: http://www.budapest-discovery-guide.com/hungarian-goulash-recipe.html (but here they call the Nokedli: Csipetke. Don’t know why!)

Ideal for Hungarian stews and Goulash. 

I would say these are a cross between a noodle and a dumpling.  In Hungary they’re called Nokedli, in Germany: Spätzle.  You can use them in soups to bulk them up, but I love them sautéed in a little butter and served with stews, especially Goulash.

They are relatively easy to make, especially if you have a Nokedli/Spätzle maker (see below).  But if not, you can make small spoonfuls and drop them into water, use a potato press, a colander or I used a steamer pan and pushed the mixture through (not the easiest way I must say).

Whatever the case, the ingredients mean you probably couldn’t find a cheaper side dish if you tried and you can always make double as they last a few days, just saute them in butter to warm them up.  But don’t let them go brown and crispy.  They wouldn’t be nice!

Serves 4
Ingredients
  • 500g plain flour
  • 1 Egg
  • Water
  • Salt

Method

  1. Mix the flour, egg and salt together with a wooden spoon.
  2. Add the water gradually.  You are not making a Yorkshire batter!  You want the mixture to be a bit elastic, but firm.   It’s ready when the mixture sticks to the back of the spoon, but also springs back into the bowl.  If the mixture is too loose, add more flour.
  3. Let the mixture to rest for a good 10 minute.
  4. Bring a wide pan of water to the boil.  Add a dash of vegetable oil and salt.  Using your chosen tool (Nokedli maker, potato press or other), push the mixture through your chosen implement and into the boiling water.
  5. The Nokedli are cooked when they float to the top.
  6. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and rinse them under cold water in a colander.  You will have to cook them in batches, so continue until you run out of mixture.
  7. You can re-heat them in a frying pan with a knob of butter when you’re ready to serve your main dish.  Lovely sprinkled with a bit of chopped parsley too – and cheap as chips!  In fact cheaper!
nokedli maker

This is a Nokedli maker – they are quite expensive to buy in the UK. If anyone has any advice of where to buy one for a reasonable amount of money, please let me know!