Quark Spatzle with Cheese

Preparation 1. Prepare the spätzle: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it until it tastes like sea water (about 2 teaspoons per quart). Whisk the quark, eggs, and yolks together in a large bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir in the flour until smooth. Season with the salt, nutmeg, and white pepper. 2. Using half of the spätzle dough at a time and working quickly, push the dough through the holes of a colander (or spätzle maker) into the boiling water. Stir the spätzle and cook until the water returns to a simmer, about 1 minute. Then, using a skimmer or a large slotted spoon, transfer the spätzle to another colander. Run cold water over the spätzle to stop them from cooking further. Set that batch of spätzle aside. When the water returns to a boil, make the rest of the spätzle, repeating the procedure. 3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and then the onions. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and light brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until tender, another 2 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add the spätzle. Fry, stirring frequently, until the spätzle begin to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Season with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. 4. Add the cheese and fry, stirring, until it begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the beef stock and cook, stirring often, until it is absorbed. Add more stock until a thick, soupy consistency is achieved. 5. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, season with salt and pepper, and fry until they are brown and slightly crisp. 6. Serve immediately, garnished with the fried shallots and chives. Note: Hoch Ybrig is made in Zurich from cow's milk. It is a buttery, nutty, pungent cheese, similar in flavor to Gruyère. It is available at specialty cheese stores. Chef Mario Lohninger shares his tips with Epicurious:"Traditionally, you make spätzle with milk, eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and butter," says Lohninger. "I used quark cheese in place of the milk to give the dish a more interesting texture and flavor." Quark is a fresh white curd cheese from Germany. It is sold in containers at specialty stores and cheese shops. This dish works well as a do-ahead item. You can make the spätzle in the morning, drain them, put them in ice water to chill, then drain again, toss with a little oil and refrigerate them until you're ready to proceed with the recipe for dinner. "Spätzle with cheese is a very flexible and appealing dish," says Lohninger. "If you like, add cubes of leftover ham or corned beef, or substitute other sharp mountain cheeses or even fresh or aged goat cheese. In the cold months when I make this I sometimes add ground hazelnuts, or else I sprinkle in some of the same spices you'd use in gingerbread — ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Just be sure to use a little stock so that whatever else you're adding is thinned to a light, creamy sauce." Reprinted with permission from East of Paris: The New Cuisines of Austria and the Danube by David Bouley, Mario Lohninger, and Melissa Clark ©2003 HarperCollins

Preparation 1. Prepare the spätzle: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it until it tastes like sea water (about 2 teaspoons per quart). Whisk the quark, eggs, and yolks together in a large bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir in the flour until smooth. Season with the salt, nutmeg, and white pepper. 2. Using half of the spätzle dough at a time and working quickly, push the dough through the holes of a colander (or spätzle maker) into the boiling water. Stir the spätzle and cook until the water returns to a simmer, about 1 minute. Then, using a skimmer or a large slotted spoon, transfer the spätzle to another colander. Run cold water over the spätzle to stop them from cooking further. Set that batch of spätzle aside. When the water returns to a boil, make the rest of the spätzle, repeating the procedure. 3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and then the onions. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and light brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until tender, another 2 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add the spätzle. Fry, stirring frequently, until the spätzle begin to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Season with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. 4. Add the cheese and fry, stirring, until it begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the beef stock and cook, stirring often, until it is absorbed. Add more stock until a thick, soupy consistency is achieved. 5. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, season with salt and pepper, and fry until they are brown and slightly crisp. 6. Serve immediately, garnished with the fried shallots and chives. Note: Hoch Ybrig is made in Zurich from cow's milk. It is a buttery, nutty, pungent cheese, similar in flavor to Gruyère. It is available at specialty cheese stores. Chef Mario Lohninger shares his tips with Epicurious:"Traditionally, you make spätzle with milk, eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and butter," says Lohninger. "I used quark cheese in place of the milk to give the dish a more interesting texture and flavor." Quark is a fresh white curd cheese from Germany. It is sold in containers at specialty stores and cheese shops. This dish works well as a do-ahead item. You can make the spätzle in the morning, drain them, put them in ice water to chill, then drain again, toss with a little oil and refrigerate them until you're ready to proceed with the recipe for dinner. "Spätzle with cheese is a very flexible and appealing dish," says Lohninger. "If you like, add cubes of leftover ham or corned beef, or substitute other sharp mountain cheeses or even fresh or aged goat cheese. In the cold months when I make this I sometimes add ground hazelnuts, or else I sprinkle in some of the same spices you'd use in gingerbread — ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Just be sure to use a little stock so that whatever else you're adding is thinned to a light, creamy sauce." Reprinted with permission from East of Paris: The New Cuisines of Austria and the Danube by David Bouley, Mario Lohninger, and Melissa Clark ©2003 HarperCollins