German Spaetzle with Wild Garlic Pesto and Green Asparagus

By Meeta K. Wolff

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 400g flour

  • 4 eggs

  • 40g butter

  • Salt and pepper

  • 120g Pecorino cheese, grated

  • 350ml extra virgin olive oil

  • 50g almonds

  • 50g pine nuts

  • 200g wild garlic leaves, stems cut off, washed and dried

  • 2 tablespoons almonds, toasted

  • Sea salt and ground black pepper

  • 150g green asparagus, washed and cut into pieces

  • Drizzle of olive oil

  • Extra pecorino and pine nuts for the topping

Method

  1. To make the spätzle mix together flour, eggs and 100g water in a large mixing bowl. Add a pinch of salt and using your hands or a wooden spoon work the mixture until the dough resembles a pasty, sticky cake batter. Continue to work the dough and once air bubbles begin to form set aside to rest for about 10 minutes.

  2. Set a pot with cold water aside. Bring a large pot of salt water to a rolling boil. Press the dough through a spätzle press in portions into the water. Once the noodles begin to float to the top – approx. 2 minutes – remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into pot with cold water. Drain the noodles well. Follow this procedure until all the dough has been used up.

  3. For the pesto place all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Add a little more oil if you prefer a looser consistency.

  4. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Transfer to clean jars and top with an extra drizzle of oil to create a seal. The jars will keep in the fridge for at least one week.

  5. Sauté the asparagus in some olive oil until slightly tender.

  6. In a heavy skillet rubbed with a dab of oil, gently brown the spätzle. Remove from heat, add a few tablespoons of the pesto, the asparagus mix then grate some Pecorino and sprinkle some toasted pine nuts over the top.

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