These spaetzle, or little egg dumplings, are incredibly good as a side dish with meats or alone with butter and a sprinkle of chopped parsley. They also are great mixed with bacon or ham, or try the dumplings in soups and stews for a special, comfort-food treat. For something so good, the dumplings are quick and easy to make. With white whole-wheat flour, the dumplings are more nutritious than the versions made with white flour. In addition to the extra vitamins and minerals, the whole-wheat dumplings have beneficial fiber. I like the whole-wheat dumplings better than those made with white flour because I think they taste better. The whole-wheat dumpling have a slightly nutty taste, and they have a little more substance and texture than the white flour dumplings. It will take you only a few minutes and no special equipment to mix up the dumplings. You can drop the dumplings into simmering water using a spaetzle maker, a colander with big holes, or just drop the dumplings into the water from a spoon. I've used all three methods, and all work fine. I used a colander to make the dumplings you see in the photos (mostly because my spaetzle maker was in the far reaches of my cupboard, and the colander was close to hand). The dumplings reheat well in the microwave on medium power. Enjoy!
Whole Wheat Spaetzle or Dumplings -- Serves 4
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups of white whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
Parsley or other herbs, butter, bacon crumbles, ham, etc., optional
Whisk the eggs together in a large bowl and then add the flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg to the bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the eggs with a large spoon and mix everything together until you have a fairly smooth and slightly elastic dough. You shouldn't need to mix for more than a few minutes. Set the mixture aside and bring a large pot of water to a low boil. You can salt the water if you like (about 1/2 teaspoon of salt), but I usually don't, as I don't think it's necessary. Turn the heat under the water down to a simmer and drop in the dumplings. If you're using a colander or spaetzle maker, just hold the tool over the water and let the dumplings drop into the water. Stir the dumplings gently to distribute them in the water. Keep the water at a gentle simmer. Let the dumplings cook until they float, then cook them another 5-10 minutes. Taste a dumpling to see if it's done to your liking. Drain the dumplings and serve them as a side dish and/or with butter, herbs, and bacon crumbles. Alternatively you can add the dumplings to soups and stews.
