Buttered spaetzle is fried until golden and served with a wine braised beef for a recipe inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
Frankenstein: A Gothic Culinary Journey
In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley weaves a tale of creation and ruin – and most importantly, hunger. Hunger for knowledge, power, love, companionship, and vengeance. To honour this gothic romance masterpiece, we are following the journey of Victor Frankenstein through food – from his days as an inquisitive scientist to his ultimate poetic ruin by the will of his unbridled creation.
Each recipe leads us through Dr. Frankenstein’s and the creature’s story – the frozen Arctic, a candlelit laboratory in Bavaria, the alpine woods and its cozy cottages, and the ultimate final act of vengeance enacted upon Dr. Frankenstein’s bride by the creature. These recipes draw on the landscapes and unique circumstances of the characters, reflecting the dualities defined by Frankenstein – isolation and familial warmth, love and vengeance, innocence and hubris. We invite you to devour these recipes either one at a time, at an autumnal gathering, or at your next book club!
Homemade egg noodles
As autumn settles over the Bavarian countryside, the vineyards surrounding the university town of Ingolstadt are crimson with the season’s harvest. Yet within the narrow confines of a dimly lit student room, Dr. Frankenstein shuts himself away from such beauty. While the world beyond his window celebrates abundance, he devotes himself instead to the austere pursuit of knowledge — anatomy, chemistry, and the mysteries of life itself. As Dr. Frankenstein inches closer to the secret of creating the spark of life, he dines alone in his study on a rich and comforting dish.
Red wine braised beef with bacon, served with buttered spätzle, is the kind of hearty meal a scholar might have once enjoyed between long hours in the laboratory. The transformation of humble ingredients – eggs, flour, and milk – into delicate strands of spaetzle speaks to the alchemy of cooking. Gently fried in butter until golden, these chewy, tender egg noodles are perfect for soaking up the rich, spiced beef gravy. A dish created from Bavaria’s harvest, it is a reminder of the pleasures and sacrifices of the living world — the life that Dr. Frankenstein is so desperate to recreate, master and command.
Ingredients
Eggs: The high number of eggs in this recipe results in a thick, sticky dough and dense, chewy spaetzle.
Flour: Use all-purpose flour in this recipe.
Milk: Spaetzle dough can be made with either all milk, all water, or a blend of both. I prefer the overall texture of the dough using a blend of both milk and water. Milk adds richness to the dough while the water keeps the dough light and elastic.
How to Make Buttered Spaetzle
Make the spaetzle dough
Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Season the water generously with kosher salt. In a mixing bowl combine the flour, salt, and nutmeg and whisk together. In the bowl of stand mixer combine the beaten eggs, milk, and water. Add the dry ingredients and add a paddle attachment. Mix until it forms a sticky dough, scraping down the sides with a spatula.
Boil the spaetzle
The easiest way to make spaetzle is to use a specially made spaetzle maker which looks similar to a grater with box on top. The spaetzle maker is attached on top of the pot of boiling water and the box is filled with the dough. Moving the box back and forth will force the dough through the holes to drop into the boiling water. Use three large scoops of dough per batch.
After all of the dough has been dropped into the water, remove the spaetzle maker and let the noodles cook for 2 to 3 minutes. The spaetzle will cook quickly and plump up to double their size when done. Use a slotted spoon to remove the spaetzle from the water and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil on top, stirring to lightly coat. Repeat 3 or 4 more times until all the dough is used up.
If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, you can use a colander with large holes. It will be necessary to find a pot that will allow the handles of the colander to catch on the sides and hold it suspended over the water. Use a plastic spatula to force the dough back and forth through the holes. Another option is to drop the dough in small spoonfuls which will result in small dumplings rather than noodles.
Serve the Buttered Spaetzle
Spaetzle can be served plain but is even more delicious when fried in butter. Place a non-stick skillet over medium high heat and add the butter. Add the spaetzle and fry, stirring occasionally, until the noodles begin to lightly brown. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Toss the buttered spaetzle with some chopped parsley for garnish.
This buttered spaetzle is perfect served alongside a dish with a sauce or gravy, such as Wine Braised Beef with Bacon. Alternatively, if serving alone, you can sauté onions and/or bacon in the butter before adding the spaetzle. Enjoy!
