Chicken and Pumpkin Maultaschen

----------------
Now playing: The Smashing Pumpkins - Today
via FoxyTunes


Maultaschen are a sort of ravioli, German-style. Maultaschen are bigger than their Italian cousins. The dish is a Swabian speciality, with traditional Maultaschen only made in Swabia, Baden-Württemberg. They are served geröstet, which means fried in a pan with scrambled eggs and onions (the way I made them this time.) They can also be served der Brühe (in broth), or geschmälzt (with butter and onions.) It is said that monks invented the meat pockets to try and fool God himself. They reckoned that God couldn't see the meat in the pasta, therefore it was alright to eat meat on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Hence the Swabian alternative name Herrgottsbescheißerle ("little ones to cheat on the Lord".) Somehow, I think God would be on to them....

I made a version with chicken and pumpkin, hardly traditional. I hope I can talk Lucie into making the traditional kind with me for the blog sometime. Mine turned out very tasty indeed and used my local ingredients very well.

The dough:

2 eggs
200 g. flour
small handful of semolina
salt
1 tbsp. cold water

Bring all these ingredients together in a mixer. Let rest in cling film, whilst you prep the rest of the components.

The filling:

1 chicken breast, trimmed
1 shallot
1 egg white
1/4 c. heavy cream
a small handful, bread crumbs
handful of parsley
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
Small splash of brandy
Salt and pepper to taste (you can do a fry test to check the seasoning.)

Process in order, in a food processor. When it is a smooth mixture, put in a bowl and put that bowl in an ice bath in the frig. Let chill for 30 minutes.

Separately have 1 c. seasoned pumpkin puree ready.

For assembly:

Boil water in a large pot.

Toast and loosely chop pumpkin seeds. Also have chopped parsley handy.

On a copiously floured board, roll out the dough. Cut out 24 large squares. Keep well floured and moist under cling film. Roll a square pretty thin. Then (click the picture to get a better reading view):



Yes, repeat 12 times.

Drop a few at a time into the boiling water. When they rise to the top, remove from the water and drain. In a skillet brown them slightly along with scrambled eggs. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and parsley.




I am trying my hand at making hard apple cider too. Follow along as it is brewing!



The leaves turned colour and it has snowed and knocked the leaves down already. I still have some garden toms, however.



We are having Spag Bol tonight, made with these Romas.



******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
“To dream of pumpkins is a very bad omen.”

-Richard Folkard