Swabian sweet tooth – Schupfnudeln with apple compote and cinnamon sugar

It’s getting colder outside slowly around here and as winter and Christmas is getting closer my cravings for the flavours of my childhood  – long known dishes, linked with memories – are growing.

Schupfnudeln are one of those meals. They are a swabian kind of noodles or dumplings, sometimes translates with ‘finger noodles’ – referring to their shape. The dough itself is similar to the italian gnocci dough – although there exist versions that are only made with flour and egg (and no cooked potatoes). Check Wikipedia to get an idea of  the regional variations.

Rolling of the noodles is a ceremony and artistry – at least that’s how I know it from my grandmother. The way of rolling the noodles has its own name – “schupfen” – and it’s done with the heel of your hand (You can get an idea in this video). Mastery is defined by speed and regularity of the Schupfnudeln …

I guess I suck 😉 … but my grandma was a real pro – she prepared masses of Schupfnudeln and when I sat and watched my eyes had trouble to follow the speed of her hands! Fascinating!

The question how thick they should be … a philosophy. Where I come from the very thin ones are called “Buabaspitzle” (literally: boys willies) – I guess the name is self-explanatory 😉

Schupfnudeln are eaten in a trillion different ways. The most common savoury recipe are the so called “Krautschupfnudeln”. The noodles are pan-fried together with Sauerkraut and bacon.

If you are more a sweet tooth I recommend this dish I made here. Pan-fried Schupfnudeln with cinnamon-sugar and (apple) compote. Real soulfood for cold and grey days. Sometimes you don’t need more than a bowl full of culinary memories.

Swabian Schupfnudeln (yields about 50, serves 4 persons as main dish)

ingredients
700 g floury potatoes, 150-200 g flour, 1 egg, dash of nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, more flour for rolling

preparation
Cook potatoes in salt water. Remove potatoes and let cool. (If you are a foresighted person: it’s best to do this the day before. If you’re not: Just make sure that the potatoes are fully cooled.) Finely mash the potatoes. If you have a potatoe ricer: perfect! If not: A regular masher works as well.
In a big bowl or already on your work surface, knead together mashed potatoes, egg and salt, adding flour step by step, kneading it into the dough. Make sure that all ingredients are well distributed. Form a ball, dust your working surface generously and start “schupfen” (rolling the noodles). Tear off a piece of dough, roll it on the work surface by using the heel of your hand to bring the noodle into its distinct shape: thin ends and a thicker centre.
Bring slightly salted water to boil, cook the Schupfnudeln in batches. When they come up to the surface,  take them out with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a kitchen towel for cooling.
From here on you can go whatever way you’re up to with them, f.ex. follow the recipe in this post. Once cooled they can also easily be frozen.

Schupfnudeln with apple compote and cinnamon sugar (2 persons)
[This is only an approximate recipe. Change ratio to your liking]

ingredients
half batch of cooked Schupfnudeln
about 2 tablespoons butter for roasting
1 big or two small sour apples (f.ex. Boskop), 3 tablespoons sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamom

 preparation
Peel and core apple. Cut into slices. In a small sauce pan melt about a teaspoon of butter. Add apples, sugar and a splash of water and sautée for a few minutes until apple slices start to fall apart.Turn heat off, but leave on the stove.
In a small bowl mix sugar and cinnamon.
In a big pan melt and heat rest of the butter. Add Schupfnudeln and pan-fry until they’re crisp and browned on the outside. Turn heat off, add cinnamon sugar and stir once again. Serve warm with apple compote.