Maultaschen

Maultaschen (Swabian Pasta Parcels)

A specialty of the Swabia region, these large pasta parcels are filled with a savoury mix of minced meat, spinach, and soaked bread, then poached in broth and finished either in clear bouillon or pan-fried with onions. The legend goes that clever monks tucked the meat inside to disguise it on Lenten Fridays.

Prep

60 min

Cook

25 min

Total

85 min

Serves

4-6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (8½ oz / ~2 cups) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• •3 whole (3 large) eggs, room temperature
• •2 g (½ tsp) salt
• •1 tbsp olive oil, for the dough
• •200 g (7 oz) fresh baby spinach
• •1 slice (1 slice (about 60 g / 2 oz)) stale white bread, crusts removed
• •80 ml (⅓ cup) milk, warm, for soaking the bread
• •200 g (7 oz) ground pork, or half pork, half veal
• •100 g (3½ oz) smoked bacon, finely diced
• •1 whole (1 medium) onion, finely diced
• •1 clove garlic, minced (optional, non-traditional)
• •1 whole egg, for the filling
• •1 g (¼ tsp) freshly grated nutmeg
• •1 g (½ tsp) ground white pepper, black pepper is acceptable
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt, for the filling, plus more for the broth
• •2 g (1 tsp) chopped fresh parsley
• •1.5 l (6 cups) beef or chicken broth, for poaching
• •1 whole (1 medium) onion, halved, for the broth
• •2 whole bay leaves
• •30 g (2 tbsp) butter, for pan-frying, if serving that way
• •1 whole (1 medium) onion, sliced into rings, for pan-frying

Steps

1. 1 Make the pasta dough: mound the flour on a clean surface, make a well in the centre, and crack in the eggs. Add the salt and olive oil. Working from the outside in, gradually draw the flour into the eggs with a fork, then knead with your hands for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and springs back when poked. Wrap in cling film and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. 2 While the dough rests, prepare the filling: tear the bread into small pieces, place in a bowl, and pour over the warm milk. Let it soak for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the excess milk and discard the liquid.
3. 3 Wilt the spinach in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until just collapsed. Drain in a sieve, press out as much water as you can with the back of a spoon, then chop finely.
4. 4 In a small pan, sauté the diced onion (and garlic, if using) in a knob of butter over medium heat for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Do not brown.
5. 5 In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, diced bacon, squeezed-out bread, chopped spinach, sautéed onion, the egg, nutmeg, white pepper, salt, and parsley. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a wooden spoon until everything is evenly distributed and the mixture holds together when pressed.
6. 6 Divide the rested dough into 2 portions. Roll one portion on a lightly floured surface into a thin sheet about 2-3 mm thick (thinner than a coin). Keep the other portion covered so it does not dry out.
7. 7 Cut the dough sheet into rectangles approximately 8 × 10 cm (3 × 4 inches). Place about 1 heaped tablespoon (roughly 35 g) of filling on each rectangle, slightly off-centre.
8. 8 Brush the edges of each rectangle lightly with water. Fold the longer side over the filling to form a square or rectangle, pressing out any air and sealing the edges firmly. A traditional Swabian fold seals the open sides by pinching the corners together, but a simple firm press-and-crimp works well.
9. 9 Bring the broth to a gentle simmer in a wide pot with the halved onion and bay leaves. Season lightly with salt.
10. 10 Slide the Maultaschen into the simmering (not boiling) broth in batches. Poach for 12-15 minutes; they are done when they float to the surface and the dough is tender when pierced with a skewer. Internal temperature of the filling should reach 72 °C / 162 °F.
11. 11 TO SERVE IN BROTH (traditional 'in der Brühe'): lift the Maultaschen into warmed bowls, ladle the hot broth over them, and finish with a little chopped chives or parsley. Serve with potato salad on the side, as is customary in Swabia.
12. 12 TO SERVE PAN-FRIED ('geschmelzt'): drain the poached Maultaschen well. Melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat, add the onion rings, and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the Maultaschen and fry for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Serve with a fresh green salad or potato salad.