Maultaschen

Submitted by: Twin2
Last Updated: 3/3/2003

Introduction

This is a very old Swabisch recipe. I learned to prepare this dish in Uhingen, Germany, by visiting a lovely elderly lady in her home and helping her make this dish for Mittagessen. This was a particular favorite of my DH when he was a child. I will never forget Frau Noller or her kind hospitality and the fun we had cooking together. She worried that I couldn't make this dish when I came back to the USA because I wouldn't have the corrrect kitchen window sill with the little flower box to set the pan on to cool the filling. And my bedroom was upstairs, where would I put the noodle dough to rest. (She used the top of her carefully covered feather tick in her cool bedroom across the hall from her kitchen.) She was a delightful person and a wonderful cook. Let Gemutlichkeit be the order of the day and try this wonderful dish. Mahlzeit!

Noodle dough

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• water to mix

• Put the flour and salt onto table top. Make a well in the center and drop in the eggs. Begin beating the eggs with a fork, gradually adding the flour from around the edges. Then begin to add a bit of water now and then until you have taken up most of the flour. Work with your hands to bring all the dough together and knead a bit to make a nice, medium firm dough, Divide the dough into three pieces. Let stand for about ten minutes, covered with a floured towel. Roll out into thin sheets about 4 inches across by 8 or 10 inches long. Let stand while making the filling. I lay out a clean sheet on my dining room table and put the sheets of dough on the sheet and cover with the floured towel. You want it to firm up a bit, but not get dry.

Filling

• 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped fine
• 1 large leek, cleaned and sliced into very thin pieces
• (use it all, the green and the white part)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup bread crumbs (Use day old Brotchen or French Bread)

• Saute onion, leeks and garlic in butter until they are gently browned and carmelized, do not let them get too dark. You do not want any bitter taste at all. Add the bread crumbs and brown just a bit more to take the raw taste out of the bread. You may have to add more butter at this point. Cool until room temperature.

• Now mix together:

• The filling above
• 1 lb. ground round (Do it yourself and remove all the fat)
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup cream (I use whipping cream)

• Place the mixture on noodle dough strips along the center and fold dough over and seal by moistening your fingertips with a bit of warm water, forming a long closed tube. Slice into pieces about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in width. Cook in gently boiling, salted water or homemade beef stock until the noodle dough and filling are completely cooked. Even if you start with the water, you will have a lovely tasting broth just from cooking the maultaschen and adding a bit of nutmeg, salt pepper and Maggi to taste.

• Serve in flat soup bowls, usually two or three maultaschen, a ladle of broth and garnish with a bit of freshly chopped chives and a bit of freshly grated nutmeg. Some people like to add a dash of Maggi. For the second course, serve maultaschen on a dinner plate with a simple German potato salad (sliced salad potatoes, chopped or grated onion, oil, good wine vinegar, salt, pepper and a bit of the broth), Green salad, made with Boston lettuce, onion and a vinagrette dressing. Then ladle a bit of the broth over everything. On the side you could have raddish salad, carrot salad, and beet salad. Colorful and absolutely delicious.