Käsknöpfle (Liechtenstein Cheese Dumplings with Fried Onions)
In short: Small egg dumplings layered with melting mountain cheese and topped with golden fried onions, served with apple purée, a classic of Liechtenstein. It takes about 1 h 10 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Resting
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 h 10 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 715 kcal
Käsknöpfle is one of the best-known dishes of Liechtenstein, a small Alpine country between Switzerland and Austria. A soft egg batter is pressed into boiling water to make tiny dumplings, which are layered with grated mountain cheese until it melts into strings, then topped with golden fried onions. The surprise is the apple purée served alongside, whose gentle sweetness balances the rich, salty cheese.
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the eggs and water and beat with a wooden spoon for 3 to 4 minutes, until the batter is smooth, thick and bubbly. Rest for 15 minutes.
- For the purée, simmer the apples with the water, sugar and lemon juice, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, until soft. Mash roughly and keep warm.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the onions with the 1/2 tsp salt for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until deep golden. Keep warm.
- Heat the oven to 120°C (250°F) and put a large baking dish inside to warm. Bring the salted water to a boil in a wide pot.
- Press the batter through a spätzle press or a large-holed colander into the boiling water, in 3 batches. Cook each batch for 2 to 3 minutes, until the dumplings float, then lift out with a slotted spoon and drain well.
- Layer the hot dumplings and the cheese in the warm dish, ending with cheese. Return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese melts into strings.
- Top with the fried onions and serve at once, with the apple purée.
Tips
- No spätzle press? Spread a little batter on a wet cutting board and scrape thin strips into the boiling water with a knife, or push the batter through a colander with large holes using a spatula.
- Grate the cheese just before using it and layer it while the dumplings are hot, which is what makes it stretch. A mix of mild and sharper cheeses gives the best flavor.
Questions and answers
Which cheese is best for Käsknöpfle?
A good melting Alpine cheese: Gruyère, Emmental, Appenzeller or a mild mountain cheese. For a sharper flavor, replace a quarter of it with a more aged cheese.
Why is apple purée served with it?
The sweet, slightly sour apple cuts through the rich cheese and buttery onions. It is the usual partner for Käsknöpfle in Liechtenstein.
Can I make it ahead?
Cook the dumplings and onions up to a day ahead and chill them. Reheat the dumplings in a buttered pan, layer with the cheese and finish in a hot oven for a few minutes.
How long does it take to make Käsknöpfle (Liechtenstein Cheese Dumplings with Fried Onions)?
About 1 h 10 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Käsknöpfle (Liechtenstein Cheese Dumplings with Fried Onions)?
About 715 kcal per serving, with 27 g of protein, 83 g of carbohydrates and 30 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 715 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 27 g |
| Carbohydrates | 83 g |
| Fat | 30 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Sodium | 1200 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
