Soba noodles made of

For The Swabian variation, see Swabian Spätzle. This article’s lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Spätzle is the Swabian diminutive of Spatz, thus literally “soba noodles made of sparrow”. Knöpfle means “small buttons” and describes the compact, round form of the noodle.

In everyday language usage, the two names refer to the same product made from the same dough and are interchangeable. There is no clear distinction between how the two names are used, and usage varies from region to region. The tradition of making “Spätzle” can be traced back to the 18th century, although medieval illustrations are believed to place the noodle at an even earlier date. Today, Spätzle are largely considered a “Swabian speciality” and are generally associated with the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Spätzle is a type of pasta or dumpling or noodles. Altogether, the dough should thus be as viscous as to slowly flow apart if cut into strips with a knife, yet hold the initial shape for some seconds. As with scraped spätzle, the dough drops into the boiling water.

In Hungary, spätzle often are used in soup. In the Allgäu, this is served as a one-dish supper in late summer. Apfelspätzle: Spätzle with grated apples in the dough, dressed with clarified, browned butter, sugar, and cinnamon. In the Allgäu, this is served as a one-dish supper in autumn. 2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs”. Registration as a protected geographical indication”. Collins English Dictionary, accessed Jan 2, 2023.