Dry ingredients: In a medium to large bowl mix together flour, salt and nutmeg.
Wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the room temperature eggs, one at a time until they are well beaten together. Add the milk to the eggs and blend together.
Combine: Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour egg mixture into it. Mix until a soft dough forms. The dough should be just thicker than batter; spoon-able but not runny/pourable. Cover bowl with a hand towel and allow dough to rest for about 10 min.
Cook: Bring 2-3 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil. Scoop about half of the batter into a Spatezle tool, or use the large holes of a grater, colander or steamer basket and use a spatula to push the batter through the holes, into the boiling water.
Give the dumplings a gentle stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until they float to the surface. Use a slotted spoon to transfer dumplings into a colander to drain and then transfer them to a bowl. Repeat process with remainder of dough. This recipe will cook in two batches.
Toss with butter and serve warm, OR for a final authentic step, sauté the cooked little dumplings on the stove top in a hot large fry pan with melted butter, flipping just once, until crisp on both sides.
Video
Notes
Variations:
Bacon and onion: Spaetzle are great fried up with finely diced bacon and onions. Give the bacon and onions a couple minutes head start before tossing in the Spaetzle.
Kaesespaetzle (German Mac & Cheese): Layer the still warm Spaetzle in a baking dish with shredded Swiss cheese between each layer, and then bacon and sautéed onions sprinkled on the top layer. Preheat oven and bake at 375 degree for about 12 minutes.
Make Ahead Instructions: Cooked Spaetzle reheats well and will keep for several days, stored in a container in the refrigerator. Rewarm briefly in boiling water, or in the microwave with a small splash of water and butter.Freezing Instructions: Spaetzle freeze well for 3 or 4 months.Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rewarming.