Spaetzle Bake

Courtesy of Chef Olaf Mertens, developed for the 2008 Toronto Gourmet Food & Wine Expo Submitted for ZWT 6

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 17 5⁄8 ounces spaetzle noodles (before cooking)
• 3  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 7  tablespoons butter
• 1  large onion, sliced very fine
• 8  ounces smoked bacon, diced very fine
• 12 1⁄3 ounces  black forest ham, sliced very fine
• 1  bunch chives, sliced fine
• 1  bunch parsley, chopped
• 14  ounces  emmenthaler cheese, grated
•  salt & pepper

Directions

1. Cook Spaetzle in a large pot of boiling salt water for 13 minutes until tender and strain, add into a large bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Add the oil and butter to a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add in sliced onions and sauté until golden brown, add in bacon and ham and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Mix together the onions, bacon and ham into a large bowl with noodles.
4. Add in chives, parsley and seasoning to taste. Be careful with the salt because the bacon is already salty!
5. Mix well together and add half the cheese.
6. Butter the sides of an oven baking dish, add the mixture and cover it with the remaining cheese.
7. Bake for 15 minutes and broil for 3 minutes until the "bake" is golden brown.