Gefuellte Maultaschen

Maultaschen are the Swabian answer to ravioli. Homemade egg pasta dough rolled thin, cut into 5-inch squares, stuffed with a savory filling, folded into triangles, and simmered in barely bubbling salted water. Served floating in hot broth, they’re one of Germany’s great comfort foods and a specialty of the Baden-Wurttemberg region.

The filling combines diced smoked meat with sauteed cubed Kaiser roll, chopped scallions, and diced pancake. That bread cube component is traditional and important. It absorbs the meat juices and adds a soft, pillowy texture inside each triangle that pure meat fillings lack.

Roll the dough immediately after kneading. Don’t rest it. Fresh, pliable dough seals better and is easier to work thin. Brush the edges with egg white before folding, and press firmly with your fingers. A poor seal means the filling leaks out during cooking.

Handle the cooked Maultaschen gently. They’re fragile after simmering and tear easily. Use a slotted spoon and transfer them directly into bowls of hot broth.

Kitchen Tips

• Roll the pasta as thin as you can manage. Thick dough turns gummy when simmered and overwhelms the filling.
• Keep the water at a bare simmer, not a rolling boil. Vigorous bubbling tears the delicate pasta apart.
• Five minutes of simmering is all they need. They’re done when the pasta is tender but still has some bite.
• Turn them over once during cooking so both sides cook evenly.

Variations

• Spinach filling: Add a handful of blanched, chopped spinach to the meat filling for color and a slightly lighter texture.
• Fried Maultaschen: After simmering, slice leftover Maultaschen and fry them in butter until crispy on both sides. Serve with onions and a green salad.
• Vegetarian version: Replace the smoked meat with sauteed mushrooms and add a beaten egg to the filling for binding.