Cheese Spätzle with the Thermomix® only work with one key trick: the batter needs to be noticeably softer than for hand-scraped Spätzle. 200 g of sparkling mineral water to 500 g of flour makes the difference between a batter that glides through the Spätzle press and one that gets stuck.
We make cheese Spätzle at least once a month. The Thermomix® kneads the batter in 3 minutes on kneading mode, leaving no lumps. The consistency should be such that the batter drips slowly from the spatula rather than tearing.
Cheese Spätzle with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 8 ✓
- 250 g Bergkäse
- 250 g Gruyère
- 500 g plain flour (type 405) + a little extra for the onions
- 5 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 200 g sparkling mineral water
- 2 onions
- a little clarified butter
Instructions 0 / 9
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1
Cut the cheese into pieces, add to the mixing bowl in two batches and chop each batch for 5 seconds / speed 8, then set aside.
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2
Bring a large pot of water with salt to the boil.
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3
Add flour, eggs, salt and sparkling mineral water to the mixing bowl and knead for 3 minutes / kneading mode.
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4
Meanwhile, peel the onions, cut into rings and dust with flour. Grease a baking dish.
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5
Preheat the oven to 180°C top and bottom heat.
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6
Fill the batter into a Spätzle press and push portions into the boiling water. As soon as the Spätzle float to the surface, lift them out with a slotted spoon.
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7
Layer Spätzle and cheese alternately in the baking dish and bake on the middle shelf for 15 minutes.
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8
Meanwhile, fry the onions in a hot frying pan with a little clarified butter until golden brown.
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9
Arrange the Spätzle on plates and serve topped with the crispy onions.
Tip: If you do not have a Spätzle press, you can use the Varoma insert tray and scrape the batter through. The batter should be fairly runny in this case.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Why sparkling water instead of tap water
The carbonation in sparkling mineral water lightens the batter. We use 200 g to 500 g of flour and 5 eggs. This makes the Spätzle lighter than using still water. The difference shows in the texture: the Spätzle stay soft inside but develop a firm outer surface in the salted water.
Tap water works too, but the Spätzle will be denser and heavier. If you only have tap water, add 20 to 30 g more so the batter does not become too stiff.
Bergkäse and Gruyère: the melting combination
We use 250 g each of Bergkäse and Gruyère. Both cheeses melt well and do not go stringy the way young Gouda does. The Bergkäse brings a nutty note, the Gruyère adds depth and savour. We chop both separately at speed 8 for 5 seconds, because 500 g of cheese at once would overload the mixing bowl.
Other varieties such as Emmental or mature Gouda also work, but the cheese must be aged for at least 6 months. Young cheese becomes greasy when melted and separates from the Spätzle.
Spätzle press or Varoma insert tray
A classic Spätzle press with large holes produces even, thick Spätzle. The batter needs to be soft enough to flow through without pressure. If you do not have a press, the Varoma insert tray works: spread the batter on it and scrape through with the spatula. For this method, add about 50 g more sparkling water to make the batter more fluid.
We always work in batches. One full press into the water at a time, then the next. As soon as the Spätzle float to the surface (after about 2 minutes), they are done and can be lifted out.
Dust the onions in flour, not without
The onion rings are tossed in flour before they go into the pan. The flour draws out the moisture from the onions and ensures they turn crispy when fried rather than staying soft. Without flour, the onions burn or only caramelise on the outside.
We cut the onions into thin rings (about 3 mm), dust them generously with flour and fry in hot clarified butter until golden brown. This takes 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat.
Layering in the oven: cheese between the Spätzle
The cheese Spätzle are layered in the oven: first a layer of Spätzle, then cheese, then Spätzle again, then cheese again. The final layer is always cheese. Bake at 180°C top and bottom heat for 15 minutes on the middle shelf. The cheese must be completely melted and lightly browned on the surface.
If you mix the Spätzle directly with the cheese after lifting them out and serve immediately (without the oven), the cheese remains in pieces. The oven is what makes everything melt together.
Salted water: enough salt, enough water
The water for the Spätzle needs to be as salty as pasta water. We add about 1 tbsp of salt to 2 litres of water. If you use too little water, the temperature drops too sharply when you add the batter. The Spätzle will then stick together and become soggy.
A large pot (at least 4 litres) is essential. The Spätzle need room to float.
Leftovers the next day
Uncooked Spätzle batter keeps in the fridge for 1 day. Cooked Spätzle keep for 3 days in a sealed container. Freezing works after cooking: freeze the Spätzle individually on a baking tray first, then transfer to a freezer bag. When reheating, add directly from frozen into boiling water.
Goes well with: Apple sauce.
Finished cheese Spätzle with onions keep in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 160°C for about 10 minutes.
