Maultaschen is a classic German dish, originating in the Swabian region. It consists of an outer layer of pasta dough that contains a filling consisting typically of hazelnut beef, smoked meat, spinach, bread crumbs, and onions and seasoned with different herbs and spices such as pepper, parsley, and nutmeg.
Maultaschen are similar to Italian ravioli but are usually larger in size – each Maultaschen is about 8-12 centimeters, or 3 to 5 inches, long. These are almost always rectangular or square in shape. Maultaschen has a long history and has historically been associated with Lent, where Catholics would refrain from eating meat. The purpose of creating these pasta pockets was to sneak the meat inside of them and thus hide it from God’s eyes. The carnivorous Catholics may get their meat fix in this way without calling the lightning down from heaven.
Save time by preparing and freezing the meat filling in advance. You can also make a double batch while you’re at it and freeze the Maultaschen so you can thaw and cook them whenever the need arises.
German Maultaschen
- Author: Romae Chanice Marquez
- Recipe Category: Appetizer / Snacks
- Cuisine: German
The whole preparation and cooking time is for 1 hour and 30 minutes. This recipe is suitable for at least 12 servings.
Photo credit: @cook_i_do / Instagram.com
German Maultaschen Ingredients
- 3 cups flour (all-purpose)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 4 tablespoons water
- 3 slices of bacon (cooked and chopped)
- 1/2 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 ounce bread (day-old)
- 6 ounces frozen spinach (thawed, squeezed dry, and chopped)
- 3 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon spicy mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme (dried)
- 1/4 teaspoon marjoram (dried)
- 8 ounces beef (ground)
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1 to 2 quarts broth (beef or other)
- chives or parsley for garnish (chopped)
German Maultaschen Instructions
Step 1: To make a smooth dough, blend flour, salt, eggs, oil, and 3 tablespoons water. Knead for between 5 and 10 minutes, before satiny. Shape dough into a ball, oi the surface, wrap it in plastic and let it rest for at least one hour.
Step 2: Cook the bacon and remove it from saucepan. In bacon drippings, stir in the onions and garlic until translucent.
Step 3: When well combined, blend bacon, onions, garlic, bread, spinach, parsley, mustard, thyme, marjoram, beef, egg, salt, and pinch pepper.
Step 4: Put ingredients through a meat grinder if you want a finer texture. Roll half of the dough out to 1/8″ or smaller. You should have an approximately 12×18″ panel. You can also make flat sheets using a noodle roller with 1/5 of the dough at a time.
Step 5: Score the dough with a knife, once in the lengthwise direction, and five perpendicular cuts to make one dozen rectangles. Place one spoonful of dough over each rectangle. Fold the rectangle over and press to seal the ends. For the other half of the dough, repeat.
Step 6: Bring the broth to a simmer and put 1/3 of the Maultaschen in the broth. Cook 15-20 minutes. Drain and remove.
Step 7: Keep cool unless they are immediately served. Garish with fresh herbs when serving.
German Maultaschen Additional Information
- Per serving, this recipe has 134 calories, 5g of total fat, 36mg of cholesterol, 109mg of sodium.
- This recipe will take 1 hour and 30 minutes to prepare.
- This recipe will make 12 servings.
- You can use the meat mixture right away or you can freeze it so that you can have it on hand for later convenience, saving time when you are ready to make another batch.
Image source: cookingtheglobe.com
About German Maultaschen Recipe
Maultaschen, in Swabia, is the traditional dish associated with the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday Lenten commemorations. Catholics and other Christians are urged to abstain from eating meat during the time of Lent. However, these days are humorously associated with Maultaschen because the meat in the dish is hidden under the pasta dough, and God can not see it.
Among the anecdotal stories of the origin of the dish, one suggests that Maultaschen was produced for this reason by the Cistercian monks of Maulbronn Abbey. In fact, a Swabian German nickname for the dish, Herrgottsbescheißerle, means “small God-cheaters.”
Conclusion
When you grind your own meat, the pork shoulder is a perfect choice, since it has a decent fat-to-muscle ratio. Also, do not be afraid when choosing a beef cut if it is a fatty cut. The fat will help to connect the meat to create the perfect texture when you mix it.
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