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1
Fry the Onions Until Crisp and Sweet
12 Mins • Cooking
Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)
Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat, add the onion rings with a pinch of salt, and fry for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until they are deep golden, crisp at the edges and sweet. Lift them out onto kitchen paper and keep warm.
Do not rush the onions on high heat — they will burn before they sweeten. Medium heat and patience is what makes them crisp and golden instead of bitter.
Done when: Deep golden brown, crisp at the edges, sweet-smelling.
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2
Cook the Spatzle in Boiling Water
8 Mins • Cooking
Boiling water, 100°C (212°F)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Working in 3 batches, press the dough through a spatzle maker or scrape thin strips off a wet board into the water. The noodles sink, then float up after 1–2 minutes — lift them out with a slotted spoon as soon as they float and drain well.
Keep the water at a full boil between batches and do not crowd the pot — too many noodles at once cool the water and they stick together.
Done when: Noodles float to the surface, plump and tender with a slight bite.
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3
Layer the Noodles with Cheese
5 Mins • Hands-On
Low heat, about 120°C (250°F)
Return the drained noodles to the warm, dry pot over low heat. Add a third of the noodles, scatter a third of the grated Emmental over them, and repeat twice more so you have three layers of each. Cover and leave on the lowest heat for 3–4 minutes so the cheese melts right through.
Layer while the noodles are still steaming hot — cold noodles will not melt the cheese, and reheating the pan hard will make the cheese go greasy.
Done when: Cheese melted into strings between the noodles; the pan steams gently.
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4
Finish in the Oven for a Golden Top
8 Mins • Cooking
Oven 180°C (350°F)
Tip the cheesy noodles into a buttered oven dish, scatter the fried onions over the top, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 6–8 minutes until the top is golden and the cheese is bubbling at the edges.
If you like a browned top, finish under the grill for the last minute — but watch it constantly, as the onions go from golden to burnt in seconds.
Done when: Golden, bubbling top with crisp onions; the centre is hot through.
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5
Rest Briefly and Serve with Chives
2 Mins • Hands-On
No heat
Leave the dish to rest for 2 minutes so the cheese settles and the noodles hold together when served. Scatter the chopped chives over the top and serve straight from the dish.
Serve on warm plates — the cheese firms up fast on a cold plate.
Done when: Slices hold together, cheese still stringy, chives bright green.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Let the pan sit for 2 minutes so the cheese settles, then serve straight from the pan with extra chives on top. Eat it while it is hot and stringy — kasespatzle waits for no one.
Germany
3h 30m
