BY KRYS STEFANSKY

Since we‘re all desperate for something different to eat by now, I thought I‘d let you peek into my pots and learn how to make an old southern German standby: Spatzl. That’s what we call these tiny homemade noodle lumps in Bavaria, where I‘m from. A few kilometers further north, they’re Spätzle. Same dough, slightly different, more formal pronunciation.

So, to get started, google and order a Spätzle or Spaetzle maker. Kitchen Barn at Hilltop in Virginia Beach carries several models. Tell ‘em we sent you! This simple kitchen tool shouldn’t cost more than about $20.

I have heard of cooks pressing the dough through large-holed colanders or cheese graters but have never tried that trick. Go ahead, give that a whirl. I use the real deal, a Spatzl maker bought in Munich and flown over here in my carry-on.

To begin, put a big pot of water on the stove and bring it to a rolling boil.

Next, mix the batter. In a bowl, measure two cups of plain flour, 3 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir in 1/2 cup of milk. (Serves 2-3 people.) Stir vigorously. The batter should be so stiff that it takes a few seconds to fall from a wooden cooking spoon.

Next, dip your Spatzl maker into the boiling water, then place it across the top of the pot. Fill its sliding box with Spatzl batter and slide the box back and forth so the batter is cut as it falls through the holes and into the boiling water. Use up all the batter, stirring the Spatzl gently every few seconds to keep them from clumping together.

Simmer gently until the Spatzl rise to the top. Don’t turn your back! They’ll boil over! Takes maybe....three minutes total. Sample one - it should be al dente.

Then scoop the Spatzl out or drain them into a colander and toss them right back into a non-stick pan with a pat or two of butter (olive oil works, too) and stir to coat and reheat.

Serve hot as a main dish with grated cheese - Swiss or gruyere are delicious! - or as a side dish to Beef Goulash. Recipe follows.

Beef Goulash

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large sweet onions, sliced thinly (Vidalias work great!)
1 pound stew beef cut into 3/4 inch chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon ketchup (I know, I‘ve been here too long! But it sweetens the gravy)
2 cups chicken boullion
3/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon paprika powder
A dash or two of cayenne pepper

In a deep pot, add the onion to the oil and brown. Add meat and brown. When there‘s a nice dark caramel color in the bottom of the pot, add the garlic, tomato paste, ketchup. Slowly add the chicken boullion, then caraway, marjoram, paprika and cayenne.

Turn heat down to low and let simmer for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender. When done, if you like, add one tablespoon flour mixed with a little water to thicken the gravy. Bring back to a boil, stir and serve. Serves 2-3.

So, enjoy your Spatzl and Goulash and, as they say in Bavaria: Guten Appetit!