Spinach Spaetzle & Butternut Squash Casserole From Grace-Marie’s Kitchen at Bristol Farms

by Lynne on May 1, 2013

Post image for Spinach Spaetzle & Butternut Squash Casserole From Grace-Marie’s Kitchen at Bristol Farms

Spinach Spaetzle with Butternut Squash 1.2

Last October I wrote about a Kitchen Casserole Class at Grace-Marie’s Kitchen and gave you the recipe for Reisling Chicken and Mushroom Casserole. The accompanying dish was this Spinach Spaetzle & Butternut Squash Casserole, which looked so beautiful on the plate and tasted really splendid.

Riesling Chicken & Mushroom Casserole 1.3

This is the photo of the Reisling Chicken, which I am including because it is hard to see the chicken on the photo of the spaetzle. The Reisling Chicken and the Butternut Squash Casserole were really delicious together.

Spinach Spaetzle with Butternut Squash 2

Spaetzle (pronounced shpet-sluh) is a little German dumpling, similar to pasta and gnocchi, that has a flour and egg based dough/batter and is cooked in boiling water. The dough is pushed through holes in a spaetzle maker or colander into the water, cooked until they rise to the top, and in this case, transferred to the baking dish. In some recipes the spaetzle is cooled in ice water and later sautéed in browned butter. Doesn’t that sound like something you’d want to do really soon.

Spinach Spaetzle with Butternut Squash 3

The butternut squash and shallots are tossed with pumpkin pie spice before being roasted, which gives them a very interesting flavor. They are then mixed with the spaetzle with the addition of lemon zest, beaten eggs, grated Ementhal cheese and Italian parsley.

Spinach Spaetzle with Butternut Squash 4

The finished casserole has that melted cheese with the little dumpling squiggles and butternut squash mixed in. Oh, heaven. Grace-Marie has done it again!

Spinach Spaetzle with Butternut Squash 5

For additional recipes from Grace-Marie’s Kitchen, look under Categories in the right-hand column.

Grace-Marie Johnston

Grace-Marie Johnston

For more information about the new schedule of cooking classes, visit Grace-Marie online at Bristol Farms or email her at gmj@bristolfarms.com.

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Spinach Spaetzle & Butternut Squash Casserole

Serves 8

Roasted Vegetables
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, sliced in half, seeds removed then 1-inch dice
1 cup shallots, cut into ½-inch slices and loosely packed
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice blend
To drizzle: canola oil
To season: kosher or sea salt and ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cover baking sheet pan with parchment paper. Coat a medium size casserole with cooking spray or butter.

2. In a large bowl, combine squash, shallots, spice blend, oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat well, then scatter into a single layer on parchment covered sheet pan.

3. Bake until squash is slightly browned and fork tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer to casserole.

Spaetzle
8 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry
2 tablespoons canola oil

4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, spinach and oil.

3. In another large bowl, combine flour, salt and nutmeg. Sprinkle over egg mixture and mix.

4. Working over boiling water, force batter through a spaetzle maker or large holes of a strainer or colander.

5. As dumplings float to surface, drain well with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the casserole. Repeat until all batter has been used. Gently toss with vegetables.

Casserole
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups Ementhal Cheese, shredded
1 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped fine
Zest of 1 medium lemon
To season: kosher or sea salt and ground black pepper

1. Whisk eggs until frothy. Stir in cheese, parsley, zest, salt and pepper. Fold into spaetzle mixture in the casserole.

2. Bake, uncovered, until warmed through and browned on top (30 minutes or less).
Serve warm as a side dish.

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine) May 2, 2013 at 10:13 am

I’ve never tried spaetzle but have always wanted to try it! This recipe looks so full of flavor… I will add it to my list of things I want to cook!

sippitysup May 13, 2013 at 3:41 pm

I use a potato ricer to form spaetzle. I’m pleased to have this method as a back up. GREG

Lois Szydlowski January 29, 2015 at 3:09 pm

How does this casserole reheat?..with cheese/egg mixture, does reheating it cause a problem of dryness or stringiness?…thanks

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