A schupfnudel, or schupfnudeln in the plural, is a type of rolled noodle. The dish is similar to meatballs, but is smaller and more reminiscent of gnocchi or Italian pasta. It is common in southern Germany and in Austria.
Schupfnudeln served with sauerkraut.
People sometimes refer to schupfnudeln as finger noodles or fingernudeln. This is because the noodles are shaped manually with the fingers and also because the finished noodles are about the size of big fingers. Another name for the noodle-like food is bubespitzle, which literally translates to “boy’s penis.”
Traditionally, a schupfnudel is made from rye or wheat flour, egg or potato. Basic spices like salt and pepper are found in most recipes. Nutmeg is also a common spice. However, the exact seasonings used often depend on what other dishes the cook combines with the noodles. The dish that people usually serve with bubespitzle is sauerkraut, which is chopped sour cabbage.
Nutmeg is a common season in schupfnudel.
Cooks who choose not to use sauerkraut with a schupfnudel recipe will often substitute some type of meat for the sauerkraut, usually sausage. If a cook doesn’t have meat on hand, fried foods such as fried onions are complementary to schupfnudeln due to the final cooking process of the noodles.
To make potato pasta, the potatoes are first boiled in water. After letting the potatoes cool, the cook peels and mashes them with a grater or mashes them with a potato masher. The next step is to add the flour and seasonings to the potatoes and knead the mixture until it has the consistency of bread dough.
Schupfnudel, also known as bubespitzle, is often served with sauerkraut.
Once the dough is ready, the cook rolls the dough into long strips, then cuts them into shorter strips and shapes them by hand so that the noodles sink at the end. The simplicity of this task and the fun of dipping your hands right into the dough make schupfnudeln a perfect dish for kids to help make.
When a cook prepares raw pasta, he cooks it in hot water until it floats to the top. He takes each schupfnudel out of the hot water and rinses them under cold water to stop the cooking. Finally, the cook fry the noodles in oil or butter, leaving the outside of each schupfnudel lightly browned and crispy. Cooks often blot the finished batter with a towel or napkin before serving to remove any oil or butter left over from frying.
Schupfnudeln is based on a mixture of flour or potato. Therefore, it is the main source of carbohydrates in a meal. The frying process also makes finger noodles a very heavy and satisfying dish.