Maultaschen & a childhood favourite

Food Illustration by Sophia Katharina x the food & love project

Story and recipe by Bruno @teig_und_fuellung:

I am Bruno, a native Swabian and have now been living in Berlin for three years.  After my training as a chef, I was drawn to the wide world! I travelled across England - Switzerland - Australia - Asia and finally landed in Berlin. I met my better half Anusha, during my travels in Asia and she now has been living in Berlin for 2 years.

The Maultaschen recipe comes from my grandpa, who was a butcher during his lifetime. My grandpa passed the recipe on to my father, who in turn taught my brothers and me how to make Maultaschen.

My brother and I refined the recipe in our parents' restaurant. 

Since living in Berlin, I missed my favourite childhood meal: Maultaschen. In January 2020, Anusha and I finally decided to make our own maultaschen and introduce it in a street food style set up to reach a wider audience. We slowly came to recognition when our Maultaschen were declared the best in Berlin by the Tagesspeigel in October 2020. We can be found across Berlin in different weekly markets in our bright yellow trailer! But of course, you can also make your own at home with the recipe below. 

Teig und Füllung’s Schwäbische Maultaschen (German Dumplings) Recipe

Ingredients:For 4 Portions

Pasta Dough:

2 small Eggs 

200g Flour (Type 00 or 405)

30g Semolina

Salt to taste

3-4 tablespoons water

Filling:

2 bun rolls (a day old)

100ml Water

400g Onion

1 Tablespoon Butter

1 Bunch Flat Parsley (70g)

100g Spinach

1/2 Bunch Lovage (30g)

Salt & Pepper

300g Minced meat (beef & Pork)

200g Fine Sausage Meat (Fleischbrät)

2 Tablespoon Breadcrumbs

3 small Eggs

1 pinch Nutmeg

1 Teaspoon Marjoram

Best served with:

1l hearty Beef Bone Broth

½ Bunch Chives

1 tablespoon caramelized onions

Preparation:

1. For the dough, whisk eggs with 3-4 tablespoons of water. Mix with flour, semolina and a  pinch of salt to form a smooth firm dough. Knead dough vigorously on a floured work surface for 1 minute. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

2. Cut the bun rolls into thin slices and place in a bowl. Heat water and pour over the bun rolls. Finely dice onions. Melt butter in a pan and sauté onions until translucent. Wash parsley, spinach and Lovage and chop finely including the stems, add it to the onions and saute for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and 1 pinch of sugar and let it cool down.

3. Mix the minced meat, sausage meat, bun rolls, breadcrumbs, eggs and the onion mixture in a bowl until smooth. Season vigorously with salt, pepper, nutmeg, marjoram, lovage and spinach. Cover and cool filling.

4. Divide dough into 3 portions. Roll out 1 portion on a floured work surface 2 mm thin to approximately 42x30 cm. Place dough on a kitchen towel. Spread 1/3 of the filling on the dough. Roll up the dough loosely from the long side using the kitchen towel. Divide the roll into 4 equal pieces with the handle of a wooden spoon, pressing the dough firmly. Separate the pieces with a knife. Process remaining dough and filling in the same way. The dough, unlike ravioli, does not need to completely enclose the filling. It will have enough binding that it will not fall apart during cooking.

5. Add Maultaschen to a pot of boiling salted water, reduce heat and let the Maultaschen steep (not boil!) in it for 10 minutes. Drain.

6. Serve the Maultaschen in a hot beef broth, topped with caramelized onions and garnished with finely chopped chives. Guten Appetit!