Maultaschen (German Stuffed Pasta) |

Maultaschen (German Stuffed Pasta) | | is a simple yet elegant dinner dish commonly found in German cuisine. In the simplest form, maultaschen is a spiral-shaped pie that contains a layer of potato filling in the middle and seasoned crumbs as the crust. Today, however, the filling can consist of a variety of ingredients such as spinach, cabbage, sauerkraut, ground beef, pork or veal. The filling is cooked in a pan and then layered in the center of the piecrust. At any point in the cooking process, the filling can be removed and replaced with the desired main ingredient.

I guess I should start with a little history. The first ethnic Germans to settle in Austria were the Bavarians from the south of the country, who arrived in the 10th century. They brought with them a new kind of pasta, which became the basis of the Austrian version of “Maultaschen”. The Saxons with their thick beards, the farmers from the Carpathian Mountain, the Swabians from the Black Forest, the Czechs from Bohemia, the Poles from Galicia, the Wends from the south, the Vikings from the Danube River, the Turks from the west, the Hungarians from the east and the Gypsies from the Alps, all brought their own version of this dish, but they were

Maultaschen are a type of gratin made with a dough of rolled-out pasta and cheese and bacon bits. Traditionally, the filling is schmaltz (rendered chicken fat or goose fat) and potato, but this is not required. In this recipe, the bacon is cooked at the end of the cooking time to avoid sogginess.

You’ll Want Maultaschen Again and Again Once You’ve Tried It!

Have you tried Maultaschen before? Layers of spicy meat mix and delicious pasta dough make up this German filled pasta, which translates as “mouth bags” in German.

Maultaschen, also known as German ravioli, is similar to a dumpling and is served in a simple soup or pan-fried with butter and fried onions.

Although there are a few stages to this recipe, it is well worth the effort!

Maultaschen with beef broth on the side!

Maultaschen originate in Germany’s Swabian area, which also offers us dishes like Swabian potato salad and German spaetzle!

This recipe makes a meal that warms you up and fills you up, no matter how you eat them!

Suggestions/Substitutions for the Recipe

In addition to ground beef, Maultaschen are typically prepared using “Bratwurstbrät.” That’s what a bratwurst sausage looks like inside. In Germany, you may readily get this from a butcher.

Because it’s hard to come by in North America, we create our own version using ground beef and pork. The meat mixture is equally as tasty as those with Bratwurstbrät (in our opinion).

Take a look at those layers of pasta and meat within!

You may make a few other changes to the Maultaschen recipe as well. You may eliminate the spinach, for example, to make the middle consistency more about the meat.

You may also use a food processor or a meat grinder to make the meat mixture “finer.” You may also add some smoked meat to the “stuffing” to give it additional taste.

A stale bread is traditionally included in the preparation. We typically make this since we always have crusty buns on hand. If you don’t typically have rolls on hand, you may substitute bread crumbs. Just make sure they’re flavored-free!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Maultaschen

Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this article for precise proportions on how to prepare this wonderful filled pasta meal.

You may view the process pictures below for anyone who wish to follow along.

If you’ve never made Maultaschen before, the pictures will be very useful since you’ll be able to see exactly what each step should look like!

In a mixing dish, combine the ingredients.

It’s time to prepare the pasta dough first. You may also use store-bought spaghetti dough and simply prepare the filling if you don’t want to create your own!

In a medium mixing basin, combine flour, eggs, salt, and oil to create the dough.

Combine the dough ingredients.

Begin mixing everything together using your electric mixer’s spiral dough hooks.

Pour in the water slowly and continue to stir for a few minutes.

Make a ball out of the dough.

To acquire a feel for the dough, knead it with your hands for a few minutes towards the finish. It should have a flexible consistency.

Return the dough to the bowl by rolling it into a ball. Place a dishtowel over the bowl and put it away.

Soak the stale bread in water.

It’s now time to make the filling. If you’re using a stale bun instead of bread crumbs, soak it in cold water for a few minutes.

It’s possible that you’ll have to put something on top of it to keep it submerged. Allow it to soak for a few minutes until the bun is soft, then press out the excess water and put it aside.

Cook the onion in a skillet.

Also, cut the onion into tiny pieces and sauté it until transparent in a frying pan with about a teaspoon of oil.

Allow the onions to cool slightly after removing the pan from the heat.

Prepare the spinach by blanching it.

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil in the meanwhile. When the water is boiling, add the washed spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Using cool water, rinse the spinach.

Remove the spinach from the saucepan and run it under cold water to stop the cooking process. The spinach should then be squeezed dry and chopped into tiny pieces.

In a mixing basin, combine the filling ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, ground beef, chopped spinach, eggs, chopped parsley, sautéd onion, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Also, tear the wet bread into tiny pieces and toss it in with the other ingredients. Alternatively, bread crumbs may be added.

Combine all of the ingredients.

With your clean hands, combine all of the ingredients. Feel free to add additional breadcrumbs if the mixture seems too moist.

While rolling out the pasta dough, keep the bowl with the filling in the fridge.

The pasta dough should be rolled out.

You may use a pasta machine or a rolling pin and plenty of flour to roll out the dough.

Separate the dough into two equal pieces to make it simpler for yourself.

Take one half and knead it slightly with your hands. Then sprinkle (a lot of) flour on your work surface and roll out the dough until it’s about 30 inches by 9 inches and very thin (see photo above for reference).

Because it may take a long time and you don’t want to poke holes in your dough, be careful and patient. If additional flour is required, do so.

Cover the dough with the meat mixture.

Spread half of the meat mixture thinly over the flattened out spaghetti dough.

Make sure to allow around 1 inch of room on the sides, top, and bottom.

Fold the dough at the bottom.

Just under halfway up the long bottom portion, fold it up. Gently press down. After that, tuck the left and right edges in.

Fold the dough once more.

Fold the big bottom section over and push it down once more.

Brush the dough’s border with water.

Brush a little amount of water over the top edge of the dough that isn’t covered with meat and turn it over to “seal the dough.” Gently push down one more.

With the handle of a wooden spoon, press down.

Now, firmly push down about every 2.5 inches with the handle of a wooden spoon.

Cut the dough into pieces.

Then, using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough along the pressed lines.

Maultaschen in the process of being cooked.

If required, press down around the borders of the tiny Maultaschen once more.

If any of them don’t shut, don’t panic; if you’re careful, the filling shouldn’t leak out during the boiling process.

Proceed with the second half of the pasta dough and the meat mixture in the same manner.

In a pot of simmering water, cook the filled pasta.

Bring a big saucepan of water to a boil, lightly salted. Once the water has reached a simmering temperature, reduce the heat to medium-low.

Fill the pot with the first batch of Maultaschen. Allow them to soak in the hot water for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are done.

Every now and then, run a wooden spoon down the bottom of the saucepan to make sure no Maultaschen are stuck to the bottom.

Using a straining spoon, remove the packed pasta.

You’ll know they’re (nearly) done when they reach the top.

Allow the Maultaschen to remain in the boiling water for a few more minutes before straining them out with a straining spoon.

With a little chopped parsley and some fried onions, we completed our Maultaschen!

As seen above, serve the Maultaschen in a hot vegetable or beef broth. Alternatively, pan cook them in butter and serve with “melted onions” (onions that are gently fried in butter with water being added every once in a while until the onions are nicely golden brown).

Storage Suggestions

Cooked Maultaschen may be kept in the fridge for a number of days in a sealed container or bag. Just make sure they’ve cooled and are reasonably dry before proceeding.

Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan of boiling water. You may also cook them in butter in a pan.

You may also freeze cooked Maultaschen if you have a lot of them. Allow them to cool before placing them on a small baking sheet or something similar and freezing them for an hour or so. Make sure the pastas aren’t touching one other.

You may move them to a zippered bag after an hour, when they are almost completely frozen. This will ensure that they do not cling to each other.

If you wish to freeze raw, uncooked Maultaschen, follow the same procedures (without letting them cool).

If you’re wondering how to prepare frozen Maultaschen, just take them out of the bag and put them in a saucepan of boiling water until completely cooked (if frozen uncooked) or warmed (when frozen cooked).

FAQ

So, what exactly is a Maultaschen?

Maultaschen is a classic German stuffed pasta made with meat and spinach and served in a hot broth or fried in butter. Sometimes it’s referred to as a German ravioli.

What exactly does Maultaschen imply?

Maultaschen literally translates to “mouth bags” in English.

For Maultaschen, what type of dough may you use?

Maultaschen may be made using pasta dough. Flour, eggs, salt, oil, and water are used to make this dough.

With Maultaschen, what do you eat?

Maultaschen may be eaten alone in two ways: in a hot broth (beef or vegetable) or fried in butter with fried onions. You may serve them with a green salad.

Recipes that are similar

Try these German dishes if you’re searching for something more substantial and meaty:

Ingredients

Dough for Pasta

• 3 cups flour (all-purpose)
• 3 eggs, medium size
• a half teaspoon of salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• lukewarm 1/2 cup + 1-2 teaspoons water

The Stuffing

• 7 ounces spinach
• 1/2 pound pork ground
• 1/2 pound of ground beef
• 1 stale bun or 3 tablespoons unflavored bread crumbs
• 2 eggs, medium size
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1 onion, yellow
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• nutmeg (1/2 teaspoon)

Instructions

1. To begin, prepare the pasta dough (alternatively you can buy pre-made pasta dough). To do it, first combine the flour, eggs, salt, oil, and water in your electric mixer with the spiral dough hooks. Then, towards the end, when the dough is more evenly combined, use your hands. Continue kneading the dough with your hands until it is elastic. After that, roll it into a ball and return it to the bowl. Place a dishtowel over the bowl and put it away.
2. It’s now time to fill the cavity. If you’re going to use a stale bun for the bread, soak it in water for a few minutes until it softens. It’s possible that you’ll need to put something on top of the bun to keep it submerged. Set aside the surplus water after squeezing it out.
3. Finely chop the onion and sauté it in one teaspoon of oil in a frying pan until transparent. Allow the onions to cool slightly after removing the pan from the heat.
4. Wash the spinach and cook it in a saucepan of water for 2-3 minutes. Remove the spinach from the saucepan and rinse it under cool water. Squeeze the water out of the spinach, then cut it into tiny pieces.
5. Combine the ground pork, ground beef, chopped spinach, eggs, chopped parsley, and sautéd onion in a large mixing bowl. Also, tear the wet bun into tiny pieces and toss with the breadcrumbs. Finally, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and combine everything with your clean hands. Add a few extra breadcrumbs if the mixture is too moist. Place the beef mixture in the fridge after you’re satisfied with the consistency.
6. The pasta dough must now be rolled out. You may use a pasta machine for this or roll it out by hand with a rolling pin and plenty of flour. Separate the dough into two equal pieces to make it simpler. Use one half and knead it briefly with your hands. Then sprinkle flour on your counter and roll it out until it’s about 30 inches by 9 inches and very thin. It may take some time; add additional flour as required.
7. Half of the meat mixture should be thinly distributed over the rolled out pasta dough, allowing at least 1 inch of room on both sides, top, and bottom. Fold the long bottom portion of the piece in half and push down. Tuck the left and right edges in now. Fold the long bottom portion over and push it down one more. To “seal the dough,” brush some water over the top border without meat and turn it over.
8. Now, firmly push down about every 2.5 inches with the handle of a wooden spoon. Then, using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough along the pressed lines. If required, press down around the borders of the tiny Maultaschen once more. If any of them don’t shut, don’t panic; if you’re careful, the filling shouldn’t leak out during the boiling process. Proceed with the second half of the pasta dough and the meat mixture in the same manner.
9. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil, then lower to medium-low heat until the water is barely simmering. Add the first batch of Maultaschen to the saucepan (don’t overfill; they need room to float to the top) and let them rest in the boiling water for 15-20 minutes until done. Every now and then, run a wooden spoon down the bottom of the saucepan to make sure no Maultaschen are stuck to the bottom. You’ll know they’re (nearly) done when they reach the top. Allow the Maultaschen to remain in the boiling water for a few more minutes before straining them out with a straining spoon.
10. Serve the Maultaschen with “melted” onions or in a hot vegetable or beef broth (simply put the Maultaschen on a deep dish and pour a little hot stock over them) (onions that are gently fried in butter with some water added every once in a while until the onions are nicely golden brown).

Notes

• If you put too much filling on the dough, it will be difficult to fold and shut correctly.
• When boiling the Maultaschen, be careful when placing them in the pot and removing them.

Information about nutrition:

Serving Size: 6 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size 594 calories 25g total fat 7g Saturated Fat 0g trans fat 15 g of unsaturated fat 206 milligrams of cholesterol 730 mg sodium 57g carbohydrate 3 g of fiber 2 g sugar 33 g protein

An online nutrition calculator was used to determine this nutritional information. It should only be used as a guideline and not as a substitute for expert dietary guidance. Depending on the particular components used, the exact values may vary.

How did this recipe turn out for you?

You may save it to one of your Pinterest boards and come back to it at any time!

This recipe for Maultaschen (German Stuffed Pasta) is a simple dish that can be prepared in a few minutes. Maultaschen is a small, triangular-shaped pasta (or of course, you can use any type of pasta), which is stuffed with a mixture of mince meat, eggs, cheese and spices. The round shape of the pasta is perfect for the traditional method of cooking them in the oven.. Read more about schwäbische maultaschen recipe and let us know what you think.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Maultaschen in english?

Maultaschen is a German dish made with minced meat, onions, eggs, and breadcrumbs.

Can you freeze Maultaschen?

Maultaschen are not frozen, they are steamed.

How is Maultaschen served?

Maultaschen is a type of German dumpling made with minced meat, flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. It is typically boiled in broth or water before being served.