I have discovered something stereotype defying living here in Germany:
Germans don't live off sausage, sauerkraut, and enormous pretzels.
Yes, all of that is widely available, but so are other dishes and my favorite food discovery here by far are Maultaschen.
Maultaschen are said to be first created by monks who were trying to hide the meat from God during Lent. Silly monks. The reasoning may have been a little ridiculous, but the product is fabulous. Maultaschen is a very German dish, but not even all of Germany. It is actually most popular in my region, the state of Baden-Württemburg I call it German ravioli, but Maultaschen are typically made larger than ravioli.
Maultaschen are noodle dough pockets generously stuffed with a combination of ground meats, onions, bread crumbs and herbs and spices, boiled to tender perfection and plopped on a plate adorned with a side of delicious German vinegar-based potato salad.
Back in December, our friend Ben gave us the amazing opportunity to accompany him to his hometown of Pforzheim for his band's concert and a traditional and regional lunch with his father. His father had all the ingredients ready and put us all to work. It was an unbelievable meal with people I adore.
[caption id="attachment_400" align="aligncenter" width="620"]
noodle dough[/caption][caption id="attachment_401" align="aligncenter" width="620"]
mixing up the maultaschen stuffing[/caption][caption id="attachment_403" align="aligncenter" width="620"]
noodle dough rolled up and ready for stuffing[/caption][caption id="attachment_402" align="aligncenter" width="620"]
pressing the pockets together using egg whites as noodle glue[/caption][caption id="attachment_405" align="aligncenter" width="620"]
My region of Germany is world-renowned for its Reislings ya know.[/caption][caption id="attachment_410" align="aligncenter" width="620"]
Maultaschen, Potato Salad, Field Greens Salad, German Riesling[/caption][caption id="attachment_406" align="aligncenter" width="620"]
Lauren, Ben, me, Caleb, Leila, our original crew here. I loved that Ben's dad owns this apron.[/caption]Ben's Dad's famous Maultaschen recipe found here.
29 comments
Looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures, Alex!
ReplyDeleteGerman food can be delicious! :) I think my favorites are Reibekuchen.
Maultaschen are awesome. Have you tried them in broth as a soup yet? That's how I used to love them when I was little. Now I prefer them cooked and topped with some browned/caramelized onions with potato salad.
ReplyDeleteOh and Katrin is right, Reibekuchen are the best. Love them too.
Yumm that looks pretty dang good! Make sure to write down all your German recipes so you'll never forget them! I'm sure you're already doing this though ;)
ReplyDeleteThose look delicious! I'm a little bit jealous of all the amazing cooking skills you're going to have when you come back to the states.
ReplyDeletemmm riesling.
ReplyDeleteso happy you posted this! i was trying to tell my host mom about it but she had no idea. now i can make it!!!
ReplyDeleteps- bavarians eat only cheese, sausage, potatoes, and sauerkraut. oh, and schnitzel. if i'm lucky, there will be pasta sometimes, lol.
These look GOOD!
ReplyDeleteI've never had Reibekucken, like what! I just Googled them and I must change this!
ReplyDeleteOh I love them with tons of onions! I have had them in soup but I like the big ones better than the mini ones and somehow I always get the mini ones in soup. I have to try Reibekuchen, I haven't had them yet!
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to make myself a cook book... if I ever find the time that is...
ReplyDeletehahah trust me, German food range is way smaller than the US so I'm no where ahead of where I could be BUT I have had to be more creative here, which is always fun!
ReplyDeleteI never even know how much I loved Riesling; I never drank it back in the US!
ReplyDeleteI can send you the full recipe if you like! I can't believe she's never heard of them but then again it's very restricted to my state I guess. hahahahaha I love that you're living the life of the German food stereotype
ReplyDeleteThey put ravioli to shame... and I love ravioli
ReplyDeleteThey are awesome. I always eat them with apple sauce.
ReplyDeletei love maultaschen! i have a recipe on my blog for it! my grandmother is german, so i was happy to find your blog!
ReplyDeletemaultaschen is good fried and served with scrambled eggs. or fried and served over a fresh green salad.
enjoy!
Germans and their apple sauce ;)
ReplyDeleteI would love to see and compare recipes!!
ReplyDeletehere is the recipe i got from my grandmother...
ReplyDeletehttp://happythehomeblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/random-ramblings.html
Thank youuuu!! They look delicious! And here's the recipe we used :)
ReplyDeleteMaultaschen Recipe Ingredients: Mush all together! - Ground Beef, Pork, Bacon Mixture (the inside of a Bratwurst) - Dry Bread and soak in Broth - Leeks or Spinach - Parsley, Muskut Nut (don't use too much, it can KILL you!), Salt, Pepper, Thyme, Marjoram (all to taste) - Onion - Garlic Then: - Noodle Dough: cut into rectangles, put a spoonful of the meat mixture in each rectangle, brush edges with egg whites, fold over with meat in the middle, pinch around the edges to seal, boil until wrinkly. Topping: -Bread Crumbs on stove with butter until browned and crispy YUM YUM!
About 25 years ago, lived in Germany....Then I had to learn how to made the dough (blatter teig) from scratch, on my kitchen table...BOY! That was a messy job, but loved doing. I am a born American, but still had to learn how Schwabisch people cook. Yes, then came making the chopped meat filling....you can even try, filling it up with various vegetables or even a mixture of finely chopped chicken to taste.
ReplyDeleteIf you do not try new mixtures you will never know. Aber, die atte Maultaschen schmeckt!! Sehr gut! Ein biskin salat dazu & wein order bier!
Oh wow you really went all out making the dough - very impressive! Although I'm not sure it is blatterteig, it is more of a pasta dough, but you can buy Maultaschenteig fresh too.
ReplyDeleteI surely know that we now a days can buy, the Maultascher dough.. But, that is the lazy and easy way of doing something. I now 30 years later, have a natural touch to make the dough. Much easy and lazier to buy it. All the cooking that I learned in Germany, by eye I can still do, Have a great job, because of the knowledge. Too many items are baked from a box, not scratch. You younger generation, will never beat grandmas cooking, unless you try and learn.
ReplyDeleteYou should not be on DISQUS, because you are not teaching people, how to cook from the bottom. Just go to the store and BUY, items that are already made. Lazy women...what do they do when items, can not be found partially finished.. Come on teach us to really cook, not heat and finish things to a good taste. Lazy generation,
ReplyDeleteMegan, Sounds delicious, I must try it. Thank you
ReplyDeleteYes Megan, that is just the way I use to eat Maultaschen , when I was in Germany and still do. Thanx again, for mentioning, the old way of making something.
ReplyDeleteThat is like telling every food blogger they should not use dried pasta. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but you can also buy packaged Maultaschen in the store and not make it at all. This is a great way to still have fresh Maultaschen.
ReplyDelete6 years. That's how long I lived in Baden-Wurttemberg (Weil der Stadt to be more precise). I never learned to make maultaschen. It one of the many things I miss since we've moved back to the US. Thanks to all the comments/suggestions below, I'm going to try to make some and surprise my youngest DS, who spent almost 1/2 his life in B-W. Now if only I can get a bakery to sell/find me some lye for the Brezel...
ReplyDelete