Baked Mushroom Spätzle With Bacon, Beer Brussel Sprouts & Cheese
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Spätzle are THE German noodle. Homemade, quick, yummy, they're a typical companion with many traditional German meals. It's either spätzle or Knödel (German dumplings - click for potato or bread dumpling recipe here) as the starchy side, and usually red cabbage for the vegetable when we're talking sides to serve with a festive roast or "Braten" for the holidays. My grandma used to usually just let some butter melt into her Spätzle after cooking them, and that's how they would end up on the table, but today I decided to turn them into a Fall feast and make them the star of the show! A fun way to play with the flavor profile of spätzle is by adding in sautéed vegetables like mushrooms into the batter, which will then be cooked right into the noodle. And that's exactly what I did, but I didn't stop there of course. I also had my mushroom spätzle mingle with beer braised brussel sprouts, crisp bacon, pine nuts, lots of gruyère cheese and finished it with a drizzle of truffle infused olive oil. Now that's a meal!
Honey, Bourbon & Spiced Apple!
As if spiced apple wasn't already a great flavor, try mixing it with the expertise of a 350-year-old German distillery that's been producing yummy honey liqueur and decided to pair that with American bourbon whiskey to make a child called "Bärenjäger Honey Bourbon." I honestly don't even like bourbon, but this is absolutely delicious (try mixing it in with tea, too! Yum!). I found a cocktail called Golden Apple that pairs perfectly with my Fall Spätzle that you just have to try! Find out where it's available in the United States.
Golden Apple
1.5 oz Bärenjäger Honey Bourbon
3 oz Apple Cider
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake all ingredients and strain in a tall glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a few apple slices. Zum Wohl!
Up Next: Spice Plum Marzipan Tart
I cannot get enough of the seasonal Fall fruits, and especially plums have my full attention right now! Imagine spiced plums nested in flaky, buttery pie crust covered in sweet marzipan.. that's what's coming up next and you believe me, you don't want to miss it! To not risk missing out, make sure you are subscribed to receive my weekly emails with new recipes! Also, if you ever think of a German recipe you don't already see on my blog, please PLEASE leave me a comment or send me a message! I am always looking for inspiration!
Fall Spätzle Recipe (Makes About 6 to 8 Servings)
Spätzle Batter:
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 250 ml water
- 4 teaspoon salt
- 6 eggs
- pinch nutmeg
- 1 pint sautéed mushrooms, cut into small pieces after cooking
Other Ingredients:
- 6 slices thick cut bacon
- 2 handfuls of cleaned, trimmed, halved brussel sprouts
- 8 oz of your favorite beer (I used a local Oktoberfest beer)
- ⅓ c pine nuts
- 1 c shredded gruyère cheese
- drizzle of truffle infused olive oil (you can buy it at Vom Fass for example!)
-
In a large bowl, whisk together the ingredients for your Spätzle. Let rest in the fridge for 20 minutes before boiling.
- In the meantime, heat a large pot of salted water to boiling. Spread spätzle batter onto a cutting board and using a straight bladed knife, sling the spätzle batter into the boiling water, working in batches and stirring the noodles occasionally. Using a skimmer, transfer spätzle to a strainer that's been placed over a bowl to drain any remaining water.
- In the meantime, facing cut side down, sautée the brussel sprouts in some oil until browned, then add in the beer, reduce heat to medium low, and cover with aluminum foil for 10 minutes until brussel sprouts are softened and the liquid is gone.
- Cut the bacon into lardons and sautée until crisp. In a small skillet, brown pine nuts for a few minutes without any oil.
- Layer the spätzle in a bowl with the other ingredients and bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and is starting to brown.
- After baking, finish with a drizzle of truffle oil and enjoy!
Some German Basic Recipes You Need To Try:
- Semmelknödel - German bread dumplings (similar to American stuffing!)
- Rotkohl - German braised, red cabbage is a staple in German cuisine
- Kartoffelknödel - German potato dumplings
Sophie's Fall Spätzle Tools
I received compensation from Niche Import Co. in exchange for writing this post. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions, thoughts and recipes are my own. This post contains affiliate links, which means that I may be compensated if you click certain links.