Carinthian Cheese Noodles
The borders between today’s Austria and its southern neighbours are particularly dissipating in Carinthia. Instead of drizzling with melted butter, here the famous ‘Kasnudel’ are topped with melted Sasaka: the word comes from the Slovenian language and simply means finely-diced bacon or a type of lardons. Besides being a wonderfully spicy spread for bread, it also figures prominently in Styrian cuisine, proving that the colorful culinary merry-go-round in the former territories of the Habsburg Monarchy is still vibrant today.
Instructions
- To make the dough, make a pile of flour on the work surface, create a hollow in the middle and beat the egg into it. Salt the mix slightly. Work in a little oil and sufficient water to produce a smooth, workable dough. Form into a ball, cover with film and leave to rest for 30–45 minutes.
- Meanwhile cook the potatoes until soft, allow to cool briefly and press or sieve through a potato press. Sweat the onions in butter, add the herbs, season with salt and remove from the heat. Mix all the ingredients together and work into a malleable paste filling. If necessary, loosen the mix with soured cream.
- Roll out the dough on a floured work surface until it is the thickness of the back of a knife. Cut out disks of approx. 10 cm diameter using an upturned glass or circular cutter. Shape small balls of the paste filling and place these on the dough circles or use a spoon to apply the filling. Coat the edges of the dough with the beaten eggwhite, fold the dough together and press firmly. Press the edges between the fingers to form grooves and set down on a floured board.
- Heat up a generous quantity of salted water in a large pan. Place the noodles into the water and, depending on size, leave to simmer gently for 10–12 minutes. Remove carefully and arrange on pre-heated plates. Cover generously with foamed brown butter and serve.
Serve with a refreshing green salad.
Cooking time: 10–12 minutes
Source: Austrian National Tourist Office