It’s the middle of fall, and we are heading into winter… in other words, that time of year that makes me yearn for comfort dishes! I mean, doesn’t it make us all feel that way? (There may be something wrong with you if it doesn’t. 😀 )
I have vivid memories of my dad using my great grandmothers old spaetzle maker to make the homemade noodles for Hungarian paprikash. Basically, this is is a metal gadget into which dough is placed to make rough cut noodles directly over a pot of boiling water. Of course it isn’t necessary to purchase a spaetzle maker to make these delicious, super simple homemade noodles. You can use a colander with this technique instead.
When I moved into my own apartment, my dad bestowed upon me one of the two spaetzle makers he inherited from my great grandmother. And after it lived on the top shelf of one of my cabinets for a couple of years, a deep cleansing of my apartment brought my spaetzle maker back to light. I rediscovered how incredibly easy and delicious it is to make these noodles! In this dish I wanted to pair it with a lighter protein: skate wing. I love skate wing because it is a meatier fish but still maintains a lot of flaky texture. If you have any difficulty finding skate wing locally, this recipe would easily work with other white fish such as tilapia or swai too.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know by posting below or tagging #thecharmingdetroiter on Instagram!
Ingredients
- For spaetzle:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- For sauce:
- 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp. butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), cut into small cubes
- 1/4 cup parsley, minced
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 skate wing fillets
- Salt
- Pepper
- Special equipment:
- Spaetzle maker
Instructions
To make spaetzle, combine flour, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. In another smaller mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gradually draw in the flour from the sides and combine well; the dough should be smooth and thick. Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes. While the dough rests, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Deglaze pan with white wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add lemon juice and chicken stock. Turn heat to low-medium allow to reduce for 10-12 minutes. Whisk in 2-3 cubes of butter at a time until sauce is rich and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep heated over low heat.
When the water has come to a boil, pour the dough into the spaetzle maker (or colander, see method here) and drop the spaetzle into the pot of boiling water. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the spaetzle floats to the surface, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Strain spaetzle and transfer to a bowl with a small pat of butter. Stir until spaetzle are coated with melted butter.
To cook fish, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Sear fish in skillet for 2-3 minutes per side, allowing each side to crisp up.
Just before the fish is finished cooking, stir the parsley into the sauce. To serve, add a heaping mound of spaetzle to a plate, top with fish, and drizzle with sauce. Enjoy!
