Forget Mac and Cheese: This Alpine "Pasta" Is the Cheesy Dinner You’ve Been Dreaming Of

It’s likely everyone has tried a version of mac and cheese at least once in their life, recognizing that it’s actually one of the easiest dinner options that can even be bought in any store.

However, it seems like other countries except for the US also have their own variants, including the German cuisine that usually has little to do with pasta whatsoever. Called Spaetzle, this type of mac and cheese accompanied by the most delicious sauce can also become your personal favorite.

Ingredients:

For the dough: 2 eggs, 150 ml of milk, 0.5 tsp of salt, 300 g of wheat flour.

For the sauce: 2 onions, 100 ml of water, 100 g of hard cheese, 1 tbsp of vegetable oil.

First, make the spaetzle dough. In a deep bowl, combine the wheat flour, eggs, milk, and salt. Beat the mixture with a mixer fitted with dough hooks for 3–5 minutes, until smooth. You can also knead the dough by hand; if so, use cooking gloves.

The dough should be runny, with a consistency similar to thick sour cream or even thicker. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the ingredients for the sauce. Peel the onion, rinse it, and dice it into small cubes. Wet the knife with cold water to prevent the onion from stinging your eyes.

Fry the onion in vegetable oil until lightly golden. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Grate the hard cheese using a medium grater.

Place a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Grate the liquid dough into the boiling water using a grater; wear cooking gloves. Cook the spaetzle for 2–3 minutes in the boiling water. When they float to the surface, they’re done.

Remove the spaetzle with a slotted spoon and place them in the pan with the fried onions. Add water, stir, and bring to a boil.

Add the grated cheese, stir, and simmer over low heat for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat.

Divide the spaetzle with onions and cheese among serving plates. Serve immediately.

Before serving, you can sprinkle the spaetzle with chopped herbs and freshly ground black pepper.