Spätzle

Method

1. Sift 125 g of flour into a wide mixing bowl and add 0.5 tsp of fine salt and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Crack in 2 eggs and pour in 40 ml of lukewarm water.
2. Beat hard with a wooden spoon, always in the same direction, for 6–8 minutes: the dough must come away from the side of the bowl, turn smooth and glossy, and fall from the spoon in a slow, tearing ribbon with small blisters on the surface. If it is too stiff to fall at all, beat in another splash of water a teaspoon at a time; if it runs freely, beat in a little more flour.
3. Cover the bowl with a plate or tea towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 20 minutes, so the flour swells and the gluten relaxes.
4. Bring a wide, shallow pan of water to a rolling boil and salt it generously, as you would for pasta. Set a bowl of warm water beside it for dipping the scraper, and have a slotted spoon and a warmed serving dish ready.