Let’s discover the Chnéffléne, a typical recipe from the Aosta Valley

The chnéffléne are small dumplings similar to the typical spatzle of the Aosta Valley usually seasoned with butter and onions.

Italy has no equal in terms of delicious first courses and the chnéffléne are proof of this. This typical dish of the Aosta Valley, in particular of the Gressoney valley, has very ancient origins. In fact, it seems that the Germanic communities, known as Walser, settled in the area between the 12th and 13th centuries, were the first to prepare them.

These little dumplings are very similar to the most famous spatzle , also in terms of ingredients. The dough is in fact based on eggs, milk and flour, but it is in the sauce that all their typicality (and simplicity) comes out. In fact, the original recipe only includes onion stewed in butter with at most a sprinkling of pepper or Parmesan cheese. But let’s see together how this typical dish is prepared.

How to prepare the Chnéffléne recipe

1. Combine the eggs and milk in a bowl and beat them quickly with a whisk.
2. Stir in the flour, mixing until the batter is uniform and free of lumps.
3. Temporarily set aside and finely slice the onion then brown it in a pan with the butter, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper until it is tender and transparent. It will take about ten minutes.
4. Once the sauce is ready, bring a pot full of salted water to a boil, place the spatzle tool and pour in the batter. Moving the container back and forth will drop some drops of dough that you will collect with a skimmer as soon as they come to the surface.
5. Immediately transfer them to the pan with the sauce and cook for a few minutes before serving.

If you want to try other quick and easy recipes then don’t miss out on the classic spatzle too. You can also prepare them with the help of a potato masher if you do not have the appropriate tool.

storage

We advise you to prepare and consume the spatzle at the moment . You can at most keep the batter for one day in the refrigerator.