A New Pasta Shape For Your Toddler To Love: Spaetzle
Yes, the German-Austrian sorta dumpling/sorta pasta side dish that would be on no one’s list of best or go-to pastas for a small child may just be the ideal noodle for your lil’ noodle. Individual spaetzle are small–about a quarter of the size of a long noodle–but more substantial than the macaroni or soup shapes; your child can pincer them easily but can’t stuff ‘em in his/her mouth. They have some chew on them–enough to interest the child lizard brain but not enough to impede their eating. They absorb sauce well but don’t surrender to it; they can go in all the usual directions that shells, tubes, or noodles are taken. They’re boring–but really good at it!
We went the boring route (i.e., a bit of butter and cheese) the first few times we served spaetzle to get our son acquainted with the look and feel of the noodle; he got comfortable quickly. Not wanting to waste an opportunity, we upped the game just as fast, combining the texture and cheesiness of cacio e pepe noodles with the “kale sauce” trend of turning noodles and sauce into a vegetable. Best of both worlds, this one: the supple comfort of a soft and cheesy noodle + a bright and nutrient-dense topping. (See “Adapt” section of recipe below for a less, well, green version.)
- 1 cup Kale (the equivalent of one big handful)
- 1/2 cup Spaetzle (check the International/Ethnic aisle at your grocery store if not easily found in the pasta one)
- minced Garlic
- Herbs of your choosing (optional)
- Lemon
- grated Parmesan (or equivalent)
- Boil a half pot of water; salt vigorously upon boiling. Dump kale in water and I’ll allow to cook until soft and tender, about one minute; remove the kale from pot and drain.
Add spaetzle to the pot—and some more water if looking shallow—and cook until soft, which will be the package’s directions + 1-2 more minutes.*
While spaetzle cooks, two prep steps:
- Make the kale sauce: to your blender, add the kale, a spoonful of minced garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper, a glug of olive oil, and any additional herbs you’d like. Hold.
- Grate and/or toss the cheese all across the bottom of the serving bowl you’ll use for the pasta.
- When spatula is done cooking, take a small cupful of the water in the pot and set aside; remove pasta from heat and drain.
- As soon as pasta is done draining, add it to your pasta bowl with a small splash of the pasta water; stir quickly, making sure to scoop up and integrate the cheese at bottom so it sticks and melts to the pasta.
- Pour splash of the pasta water into the blender; blend, starting at low and increasing the speed until the kale is chopped up. If the contents inside the blender are not smooth, add another splash or two of pasta water and blend again; repeat as needed until thick and creamy.
- Taste a small spoonful of the mixture to make sure taste and texture align with your child’s preferences. If you’re finding the texture to be too gritty, add another glug or two of olive oil and process again if you’re finding the flavor too vegetal, add another squeeze of lemon, a bit of salt, and even a bit of honey to round out the flavor.
Pro tip: Spaetzle is easier for a child to spoon than fork. If your child is suspicious of deeply green-colored foods, start with a few strands and allow them to pick up and feel the noodle before biting.
Same spirit, different vegetable: go the alfredo route by steaming a quarter of a head of cauliflower until soft; throw it in a blender with a glug of olive oil, a splash of cream or yogurt, and a splash of the pasta water; blend until smooth.
*Al dente spaetzle has a distinct chew, not unlike orecchiette, that may be, well, weird to a young child, hence the suggestion to cook the noodles until fully soft.