Spätzle is Germany's answer to pasta. This oven-baked version boasts a creamy smoked cheese and speck sauce.
Equipment and preparation: for this recipe, you will need a spätzle board and scraper.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4.
For the spätzle, in a large bowl, mix together all of the spätzle ingredients with a wooden spoon until they come together as a smooth, loose dough.
Bring a large pan of water to a rolling boil.
Using a spätzle board and scraper, place a small amount of the spätzle dough onto the board. Wet the scraper with a little water, then flatten the piece of dough, pushing it towards the edge of the board.
Using the edge of the scraper to cut the dough, slice very thin strips of the dough and slide them off the edge of the board and into the boiling water.
Repeat this process with all of the spätzle dough.
Cook the spätzle until they float to the surface of the water (you may need to do this in batches). Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon, or drain in a colander, then transfer to a roasting tray.
For the sauce, gently heat the double cream in a saucepan. Stir in the grated cheese until melted, then stir in the speck. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until just coloured.
Pour the sauce over the spätzle, then scatter over the fried onions and some more grated cheese. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden-brown and the sauce is bubbling.
