Käsespätzle with Crispy Onions

Germany was an obvious gap on our map, and most of the famous dishes (schnitzel, sausages, roasts) are meat-forward, so a genuinely iconic vegetarian dinner is a nice change of pace for our rotation. I also want to learn what makes this different from an American cheese casserole: the alpine cheese, the browned onions, and the fact that it is layered rather than sauced. It is weeknight-feasible because US supermarkets sell dried spätzle (and good egg noodles stand in fine), so the whole thing is boil, grate, layer, bake while you fry onions. My son already likes pasta and cheese, so I expect this to be an easy sell, and I will keep his portion of fried onions on the side in case the texture is new to him.

• Dried spätzle: Look for bagged Bechtle or Maggi spätzle in the international or pasta aisle at Walmart, Safeway, or a German deli; World Market often carries it. If you cannot find it, wide egg noodles or short egg "dumpling" noodles work well. Fresh homemade spätzle is better but adds 30 minutes and a special press.
• Emmentaler: The Swiss-style cheese with holes. Buy a block and grate it yourself; pre-shredded "Swiss" from the dairy case is a fine substitute. If you can find Allgäuer Bergkäse or a Gruyère, mixing half-and-half with Emmentaler gives a deeper, nuttier flavor.
• Yellow onions: You need more than you think; they shrink to half their volume. Slow frying in butter is what turns them from sharp to sweet and crisp.
• Nutmeg: A small grating is the traditional seasoning in the noodles and keeps the cheese from tasting flat.

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and butter a 9x9-inch baking dish (an 8x11 works too). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Halve the onions and slice them into thin half-moons. Separate the slices with your fingers so they fry evenly.
3. Grate the cheese on the large holes of a box grater and set aside about a quarter of it for the top.
4. For the quick cucumber salad: slice the cucumber thin, toss with a pinch of salt, and leave it in a colander. Whisk the sour cream with the vinegar, a pinch of sugar, salt, pepper, and chopped chives; refrigerate.

1. Fry the onions first because they take the longest. Melt 2 tablespoons butter with the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring every couple of minutes, for 15–20 minutes until deep golden. Sprinkle the flour over them for the last 3 minutes and raise the heat slightly; this helps them crisp. Spread on a paper towel and salt lightly.
2. While the onions cook, boil the spätzle according to the package (usually 8–12 minutes for dried; 6–7 for egg noodles) until just tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
3. Return the hot noodles to the pot. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, a good grating of nutmeg, black pepper, and 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved water so the noodles are glossy, not dry.
4. Layer: spread a third of the noodles in the dish, scatter a third of the cheese (minus the reserved top portion), repeat twice more, and finish with the reserved cheese on top.
5. Bake 10–12 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling at the edges. If you like a browned top, run it under the broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
6. Toss the drained cucumber with the dressing just before serving.

Scoop the Käsespätzle into warm shallow bowls, pile the crispy onions on top, and serve the cucumber salad and greens alongside; a dab of mustard at the table is traditional and good. For my son I plan to serve the onions in a small dish on the side so he can try them at his own pace. The dish is already mild, so there is nothing to tone down. Leftovers keep for three days; reheat in a skillet with a splash of water, covered, so the cheese softens without the noodles drying out. The onions do not keep crisp, so fry a fresh handful if you want them again.