Käsespätzle

After coming across dried spätzle pasta in our local Lidl we just had to make this dish, an Alpine favourite from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Ingredients
serves 2

250 g spätzle, dried pasta (425g fresh) 
200g Emmental, Gruyère or any similar cheese, grated 
1 onion, (about 150g), sliced
2 tbsp flour
75ml single cream
30g butter
nutmeg
salt
ground black pepper

to garnish
chives 

Method

Boil the spätzle as per the packet. (unless you're making them yourself)

Drain and set aside.

Cut the onion in half, peel and then slice. Use your preference as to the thickness. In a small bowl, seperate the half rings and add the plain flour. Mix well to coat all the sliced onion. 

In a large frying pan, melt the butter on a medium heat, then fry the floured onion, until they're golden brown. Remove them and drain on absorbent kitchen roll. 

Season lightly with salt. 

Reduce the heat to a low-medium and add the cooked spätzle to the large frying pan. Pour over the single cream and stir in well. 

Add a good pinch of nutmeg, ground black pepepr and salt. 

Then sprinkle over evenly the grated cheese and stir well.

Place a lid on the pan and cook for a few minutes to reheat the dish and the cheese has melted. 

To serve, pour the cheesy spätzle into a large bowl and top with the fried onions and  finely chopped fresh chives.