November, 2004 - Nr. 11
Spätzle – the new way!
Take roughly 1-1/2 cups of flour, 3 eggs, 2/3 cup of water and some salt, mix it up into a pliable dough, spread it on a wooden board and slowly scrape small pieces of the dough into a pot of salted, boiling water and when these little dumplings come floating to the top, they are done – you now have "Spätzle", your own home-made pasta, the traditional German pasta dish that can also be made with rice-, corn-, soy- or gluten-free flour - for sufferers of Celiac disease - at pennies per serving.
That is the way it was done since time immemorial, said Grandma, and that is the way many cooks still do it today. All one has to do then is to clean up the mess in the kitchen afterwards.
However, times have changed, progress has been made. Of course there have been all sorts of appliances to make these little dumplings but none as simple and unsophisticated as Hannelore Clark’s "Spätzle Maker" (or Dumpling Board), from Kelowna, BC.
She thought that there must be a better way to make spätzle, and developed the board that has taken Canadian and American kitchens by storm.
Hannelore Clark, who operates ‘Nana’s Kitchen’ out of her home and garage in Kelowna, BC, invented a new and improved tool that takes the fuss and mess out of making this traditional pasta.
She found an immediate niche among people with Celiac Disease, which is an allergy to the gluten found in many starchy foods such as pasta.
"Now I am really starting to get known," said Hannelore. "I am already well known within the Celiac Association in Canada and the United States." In celiac disease the villi – the fine hair like fibers - in the small intestines flatten out and prevent the normally secreted digestive juices from being able to do their job. Sufferers have to avoid any intake of gluten foods – no wheat, rye, oats, barley, modified food starch or spelt - to bring the level of triglycerides under control. Because when this problem becomes chronic, it opens the door to very serious health risks.
Nana’s patented dumpling board is a non-stick, dishwasher safe board that looks like a flat colander and comes with a scraper and a number of recipes. It is manufactured in Edmonton – by the thousands by now, in order to fill the ever-increasing orders. Hannelore also does a great deal of traveling in Canada and the United States to successfully promote her unique product.
The usual stickiness of gluten-free pasta is no problem and you can add your own spices right to the dough, she explains. It is very easy to clean, just rinse it and drop it into the dishwasher, when you are finished. There is also a one-year warranty in effect – but life expectancy of the dumpling board is probably forever, with normal use. But if for any reason, the consumer is dissatisfied within one year of purchase, Nana’s Kitchen offers a full replacement or refund.
When asked about the relatively short shelf live of the pasta Hannelore explains that you can keep it in the freezer and when you are ready to cook, just take it out and throw it into hot water. "It is just like fresh Pasta," she said.
Using her recipes and your creativity with the Spätzle Board can bring low-cost versatility back into your gluten-free diet or your regular cookery.
Children love Spätzle with applesauce. Leftovers are great fried, or added to your favorite soup. Well, the price is right - and it would also make a great Christmas gift!
See her advertisement in this issue for contact and ordering information, or visit her website at: www.cookingwithnana.com. r.k.a.
