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Linsen mit Spätzle
Linsen mit Spätzle: Swabian sweet-sour lentils with homemade egg noodles, vegetarian
Linsen mit Spätzle is Swabia's Saturday supper, eaten in kitchens from Stuttgart to Ulm when the week's cooking was done and something cheap and filling was needed. Small brown or green Alb lentils are stewed with root vegetables, then sharpened with vinegar and a little sugar, and ladled over freshly scraped Spätzle. Most families add a pair of thin smoked Saitenwürstle; this version skips them, and the smoked paprika keeps a hint of that flavour. A common mistake is adding the vinegar at the start, which stops the lentils softening, so it goes in at the end. Chef's tip: beat the Spätzle batter until bubbles pop on the surface; that air is what makes them springy.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the lentils
For the Spätzle
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a pot over a medium heat and fry the 1 onion, 1 carrot and 2 ⅞ oz celeriac for 6 minutes until softened and lightly golden at the edges.
6 minStep 2: Sprinkle over the 1 ½ tbsp plain flour and stir for 2 minutes until it smells toasty and turns light brown; this gives the lentils their body.
2 minStep 3: Add the 9 oz small brown or green lentils, 3 ¾ cups vegetable stock, 1 bay leaf and ½ tsp smoked paprika, bring to the boil and simmer, half covered, for 35–40 minutes until the lentils are soft and the sauce is thick but still spoonable. Add a splash of water if it gets too dry.
40 minStep 4: While they cook, beat the 10 ½ oz plain flour, 3 eggs, ½ cup sparkling water, ¾ tsp salt and 1 pinch grated nutmeg with a wooden spoon for 3–4 minutes, until the batter is thick, glossy and bubbles form on the surface. Rest it for 10 minutes.
14 minStep 5: Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Press the batter through a Spätzle press or scrape thin strips off a wet board into the water in two or three batches. They are done 1–2 minutes after they float. Lift out into a warm bowl and toss with the ⅔ oz butter.
15 minStep 6: Finish the lentils with the 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt and 1 pinch black pepper; they should taste clearly sweet-sour. Remove the bay leaf.
2 minStep 7: Serve the lentils over the Spätzle, scattered with 2 tbsp parsley, chopped.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 620 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 92 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does linsen mit Spätzle take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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