Maultaschen

Noodledough

• 500g all purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2-3 tablespoons water

Mix the flour and salt. Mix the eggs into the flour/salt mixture as you would to make pasta or in a kitchen machine, adding 2-3 tablespoons of water, as required, to make a smooth dough. Knead well (about 10 minutes) to make an elastic dough. Wrap tightly in cling wrap, and rest in fridge at least 30 minutes.

Filling

• 200g sausage filling (ideally veal)
• 200g ground beef
• 200g ground pork
• 150g cubed bacon
• 1 onion, finely cubed
• 2 tablespoons parsley, finely choped
• 150 g frozen spinach (or wilted fresh spinach)
• 1 small, stale white roll soaked in milk (or use three slices white bread)
• 1 egg
• salt, pepper, nutmeg and lovage

1. Add bacon to hot pan and fry briefly to release fat. Add the onion and fry until translucent. Add parsley and fry briefly. Remove pan from heat and allow mixture to cool completely.

 2. Thaw spinach, squeeze it out, and chop finely. Squeeze milk out of the bread roll. Thoroughly mix meat, onion mixture, bread roll and egg together. Season to taste with salt, pepper, nutmeg and lovage. If possible, pass mixture through the meat grinder using smallest setting, and be sure to mix thoroughly (e.g. using stand mixer with paddle attachment).

Assembly

• 1 egg, beaten
• Beef broth

 1. Roll out noodles with the help of a pasta machine to thickness setting ~5. Be sure to sprinkle plenty of flour between noodle layers to prevent noodles from sticking to one another.

2. Spoon or pipe filling down the center ~1/3 of the length of the noodle, leaving ~2 cm free at both ends. Brush the ends and the further free 1/3 of the noodle with the egg mixture. Fold the bottom 1/3 over the filling and the the top 1/3 (the bit with the egg on it) over the bottom 1/3. With the help of a wooden spoon handle, divide into individual Maultaschen by pressing down perpendicular to the noodle.

3. Gently place Maultashen into gently boiling beef broth, turn off the heat and allow to poach for ~15 minutes.

4. Serve immediately with broth and sprinkled with parsley. Alternatively, freeze and reheat by poaching/simmering in beef broth.

Makes about 50-60 Maultaschen. The referenced recipe makes about twice as much filling as noodle.