Maultaschen – The German God Cheater
The region of Baden-Württemberg in Germany due to its favorable climate and geographical location has developed an excellent gastronomy. Special plant crops of fruits and nuts that grow in abundance contribute to the relishing flavor of the Swabian cuisine. Cattle are bred extensively and incorporate the production of milk, cheese, and other dairy products. Dumplings and noodles are a specialty of this German state. Traditional Swabian dishes are called ‘peasant dishes’ because they are more simple, hearty and uncomplicated than the French-based Baden cuisine.
Maultaschen also known as Grüne Krapfen, noodles, or Herrgottsbscheisserle is one of the most popular dishes of Germany second perhaps only to Spaetzle. This dumpling is a delicacy all over Europe and eaten in Russia and the USA as well, but it has been recognized as part of the culinary heritage of Baden-Württemberg by the European Union since November 2009. It is a luxurious treat for cold nights light and fresh to taste.
There are some fascinating history and legend associated with the Swabian dumpling. It is said that the Cistercian monks of Maulbronn Monastery invented the dish when they attempted to find a deceptive manner to have meat during Lent when eating meat is forbidden. The monks chopped up meat and mixed herbs and spinach to pass it off as a vegetarian dish. Since the meat is concealed under a covering of pasta, God is unable to see it. This led to a nickname attributed to the dish which means ‘God cheater.’ This is the major reason why it is considered to be a traditional dish which is prepared on the Lenten commemoration of Maundy Thursday or Good Friday. However, it is eaten all throughout the year. There is another legend associated with this famous dish dating back to oral traditions. The Maultasche is apparently a pirated version of the Italian ravioli or tortellini. Comparisons may also be drawn between Maultaschen and the Chinese wonton noodles, kreplach or pierogi of Russia. Some also believe that Maultaschen originated from a pasta dish that the legendary Countess Margaret Maultasch brought back from Tyrol.
Composition:
It comprises of an outer layer made up of pasta dough which wraps a delicious filling of meat, spinach, leek, onion, egg, soaked bread or bread crumbs. The filling is spiced up with natural herbs such as marjoram, nutmeg, parsley, and pepper. They are rectangular or square shaped with a size of about 8-12 centimeters or 3-5 inches. The weight of each piece varies from 40-150 grams. Soup Maultaschens are smaller and weigh lesser from 10 to 40 grams each. Maultaschens look similar to ravioli of Italian origin, but they are bigger in size and contains more filling. Due to the myriad blend of ingredients, the dish is made of Maultaschen, which is highly nutritious.
There are many variations of the dish with the adaptation of modern and innovative cooking methods. The filling may also be cooked using minced ham, bacon, smoked pork, ground beef or roasted meat. A thick broth made of beef and onion slices may be added to it. There are three ways in which Maultaschen is traditionally prepared. The dumplings may be cut into slices and fried with onions and eggs; they can be simmered in broth to obtain a soupy dish, or they can be dry with a dressing of butter and onion. The dish has to be served with broth on the first day and fried on the second.
Recipe:
The recipe uses bacon to prepare Maultaschen and is adequate for serving four people.
Ingredients:
For the dough
- 2 and ¾ cups of flour
- 4 eggs
- Salt for taste
For the filling
- One tablespoon of butter
- Six slices of bacon cut into cubes
- Three onions of medium size, diced
- ¼ lb of sausage, Italian sweet
- One hard roll without crust
- ½ lb of spinach
- ½ lb of ground meat
- 1 cup Farmer’s sausage, diced
- 3 eggs
- Three tablespoons parsley, fresh and chopped
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Three tablespoons of canned milk
- Nutmeg
Preparation:
The process of making Maultaschen is similar to making ravioli.
At first, put the dough into a bowl, add two eggs and a little salt in it. Mix well to make a dough of pasta. Form a ball of dough and wrap it in a cling film before putting it in the fridge for about an hour and a half.
Add a little water as per requirement and knead to get a firm and consistent dough.
Use salted water to blanch the spinach before draining and rinsing in cold water. Let it cool down. Squeeze out the water using your hands and chop it with a knife or use a food processor.
Next, prepare the filling. The filling should be spicy. Melt the butter in a skillet. Then fry the bacon and onions till they turn translucent. Mix the mixture of bacon, onion, and butter with the sausage meat. Use water to moisten the hard roll. Press it dry and put the mixture along with the bacon, sausage, spinach, ground meat and smoked farm sausage through a meat grinder. Fold in the eggs, parsley and seasoning and mix.
On a large flat surface or a board, sprinkle a bit of flour and roll out the dough. Take the layer of cling film gently off the dough. The dough should be spread out into a rectangular sheet so that the size is as wide as you want your Maultaschen to be. Take a tablespoon to scoop the filling and put it on the sheet of dough in little dabs with a uniform space of about 3 inches interval along the middle of one side of the sheet.
Mix the egg and canned milk together. Apply the mixture to the spaces in between, the fold line and the outer edge. Fold the plain half of the sheet of dough over the filling. Press firmly on the spaces that surround the little packets of filling. Push the fold together gently and close it. Turn the roll over so that the fold is on the underside. Use a pastry knife or wheel to separate the packets into squares, rectangles or diamond shaped Maultaschen. Only two sides of the pieces are closed, the other two sides remain open.
Pour the beef stock into a pan and cook the Maultaschen thoroughly. This process will take about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the Maultaschen. You can also use boiling salted water for this process.
When they are cooked, they will bob up to the surface. Remove the Maultaschen using a slotted spoon. Put them on the grid for a few minutes and allow them to drain.
For serving cut an onion into rings and fry them in butter till they turn golden brown. Pour the content over the Maultaschen on the serving dish. It can also be served with potato or mixed green salad. Garnish with chives and serve with a little hot broth.