There are two types of homemade Swiss pasta, they’re called Spätzli and Knöpfli. They’re both made of the same dough and both are used for the same meals. The only difference is that the dough is pressed through a sieve for the Knöpfli, and cut by hand on a chopping board for the Spätzli. Here are the instructions for making the Knöpfli.
Knöpfli recipe for 4 people
- 300g Knöpflimehl (2 cups) or plain white flour (2.5 cups)
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 3 eggs
- 1.5dl (5 fl oz) milk-water (roughly 3/4 water, 1/4 milk)
Method
Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix with a whisk or an electric mixer until the dough looks smooth. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
In a pan, bring 2-3 litres of water and a little salt to the boil. Once it’s boiling, press dough through the sieve and cook for 3-5 minutes. Drain the Knöpfli, add some butter, let it melt and mix.
Serve!
I have made this recipe several times. I find myself adding more water and milk than the recipe calls for. However it comes out just fine in the end and tastes just like how mom used to make it years ago.
Thank you for the recipe for Knöpfli and the great photos.
I thought Seattle was through a seive. And knopfli was cut. ??
It’s the other way round. Knöpfli means Knopf, i.e. button. So these are the short, round shapes, hence the sieve. The spätzli are long, hence cutting them from a chopping board.
Hi there, thank you for this recipe, just perfect! I added some nettles – looks nice and tastes a bit different. And healthy… a quiet conscience sleeps in thunder. All the best to you!
Firstly I loved that adage from Eva regarding a “quiet conscience “! Secondly I worked with a polish lady and watched her make spaetzle several times and she always put ‘Brown Butter’ on it. Apparently it was a staple during the second war.
Interesting. In Switzerland we make brown butter mixed with breadcrumbs and put this onto the spätzle/knöpfli