Entree: Germany – Swabia – Linsen mit Spätzle (Hearty stewed lentils flavored with smoked pork and served with hand-made egg noodles)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 30 min

Cook 40 min

Additional 10 min

Total 1 hr 20 min

Ingredients

- 1 cup (200 g) dried brown or green lentils
- 6 cups (1.44 L) beef or vegetable broth
- 6 oz (170 g) smoked bacon, diced
- 8 oz (225 g) smoked sausage (Wiener or Lyoner), sliced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp (5 g) sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or lard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Spätzle
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs, approx. 5.3 oz (150 g) total
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) water, plus more as needed
- 1 tsp (6 g) salt
- 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, for tossing

Instructions

1. Rinse lentils under cold water and pick out any debris. Set aside.
2. In a heavy pot, heat vegetable oil or lard over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook until it renders fat and begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add sliced smoked sausage and cook 2–3 minutes until lightly browned.
3. Add chopped onion and diced carrots to the pot; sauté until softened, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add rinsed lentils, bay leaves, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Partially cover and cook until lentils are tender but not mushy, 25–35 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more broth or water if needed.
5. While lentils simmer, make the Spätzle batter: whisk eggs, water, and salt together in a bowl. Gradually add flour and stir until a thick, sticky batter forms. Let rest 10 minutes.
6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Using a Spätzle maker, colander with large holes, or a cutting board and knife, push or scrape batter into boiling water in small streams. When Spätzle float to the surface (about 1–2 minutes), remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl.
7. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and toss the cooked Spätzle briefly to coat and lightly brown them.
8. Finish lentils by stirring in red wine vinegar and sugar; season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves.
9. Serve a generous portion of Spätzle topped with stewed lentils, spooning some of the cooking liquid over. Garnish with chopped parsley.