Germany | Pasta & Dumplings | Beef | Spinach

Maultaschen

(German meat-filled pasta dumplings)

Yield: 4-6 servings


INGREDIENTS PREP AMOUNT
Spinach, fresh or frozen 1 lb
 
Butter or oil 2 Tbsp
Onion minced 1/2 each
Ground beef 1 cup
 
Good quality bread soaked in milk or water 3-4 slices
Nutmeg 1/4 tsp
Salt & pepper to taste
 
Eggs beaten 3-4 each
 
Wonton wrappers, square or round   1 package
Egg beaten with a little water 1 each

METHOD

Basic Steps:  Blanch → Chop → Sauté → Mix → Stuff → Boil
  1. If using fresh spinach, bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop in the spinach and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Drain in a colander and squeeze as much liquid out as possible. If using frozen spinach, simply thaw and squeeze out the liquid in a colander. Chop finely.
  2. Heat the butter or oil in a sauté pan and sauté the onions over medium heat till translucent. Add the ground beef and sauté till just cooked through. Drain excess oil and allow to cool.
  3. Mix the spinach and ground beef mixture together in a bowl. Drain the bread and squeeze dry. Crumble in the bread, mix well, and season to taste with nutmeg and salt and pepper.
  4. Add 3-4 eggs and mix or knead to form a paste.
  5. Add 1-2 tsps of the stuffing to each wonton wrapper, moisten the edges with a little of the egg-water mixture, and fold in half. Press down on edges to seal.
  6. Cook for 8-10 minutes in rapidly boiling, salted water. Drain and serve.

VARIATIONS

  • Wonton wrappers are the easiest way to make Maultaschen, but if you want to make your own wrappers here is the recipe:
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3 eggs
  1. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the center and break in the eggs and add the water.
  2. Mix the eggs and water into the flour with a fork. When incorporated, use floured hands to bring the dough together and knead till smooth. Let rest 20-30 minutes.
  3. Roll out to 1/8" thick on a floured surface and cut into squares or circles. Proceed with recipe.
  • Use different types of bread for different flavors: rye, whole wheat. Germans often use stale rolls (Semmeln).
  • Substitute ground chicken or lamb for the ground beef. Add a little minced ham or sausages for extra flavor.
  • Kräutermaultaschen (Herb maultaschen): substitute 1 bunch minced parsley and 1 bunch minced chives or scallions for half the spinach.

NOTES

  • Maultaschen are a Swabian specialty from southwest Germany. The name means "mouth pockets". They are akin to Italian ravioli and Jewish kreplach.
  • Serve with a little beef or chicken broth, in soups, or topped with bread crumbs toasted in melted butter.