This recipe comes to me from Sophie, someone my husband and his band became acquainted with when they had a joint metal music and burlesque show in Vienna during their recent tour in Europe. She and her significant other put them up for the night and made them this really delicious dinner. I did not attend this particular show of theirs because I was not in Europe yet, but my husband raved about how good this meal was. She gave him a basic recipe, which did not include precise amounts for most things but she described the process in great detail so that I might be able to make something similar. It sounds like she makes this mostly by feel, which is a good sign. Sophie's recipe originally comes from her grandfather. :)
The below is what I have put together based on her description and looking at other goulash recipes.
Notes:
- The finished consistency should be like a cream soup. I ended up mixing about 1 tbsp all purpose flour with 1 tbsp water and then mixing that into the soup toward the end, letting it cook for about 5 minutes to cook away the flour taste.
- I recommend kabocha/buttercup squash because I like its flavor but you can also use butternut or red kuri squash.
- Hungarian hot paprika paste (Erős Pista) is a solidly medium-spicy red pepper paste. If you don't like spicy food, you can use Édes Anna (mild paprika paste) instead, or a mix of both. I used 1/2 tbsp of each because I had them both, and it was about as spicy as I would want it to be for my mild-end-of-medium spice tolerance.
- The spaetzle pictured above were the very first I ever made in my entire life and I realize now the "dough" should have been a little more like a batter (mine was thick enough to cut off individual distinct pieces). I have not personally tried the methods I write below but I plan to when I make spaetzle again.
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RECIPE:
Winter Squash and Mushroom Goulash with Spaetzle
adapted from Sophie and her grandfather, and methods from
Frau Lutz and
Food Wishes
Serves 4
Goulash
1.25 lb (575 g) kabocha or other winter squash (about 1/2 large squash, about 2 1/2 cups peeled and chopped)
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped (about 6 oz/170 g)
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz (230 g) white button mushrooms, halved
1 bell pepper, any color you like, chopped
1 tbsp hot paprika paste (Erős Pista), or to taste
4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock
1 tbsp all-purpose flour mixed with 1 tbsp water (to thicken, if needed)
Sour cream, for serving
Spaetzle
250 g all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
50 ml water (or more as needed)
Prepare squash: Heat oven to 400°F. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Peel squash if desired and cut into 1-inch cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until well coated. Spread in a single layer onto a baking sheet lined with foil. Place in oven. Roast for about 25 minutes or until the pieces can easily be pierced with a fork and are beginning to brown. While squash is roasting, prepare goulash. When squash is done, remove from oven and set aside.
Make goulash: Heat butter in a saucepan or soup pot on medium heat. When butter melts and foams, add garlic and onion and saute until translucent. Add mushrooms and bell peppers, and continue to saute, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms and peppers have softened, about 7-10 minutes. Add stock and hot paprika paste, and mix until paprika paste has been incorporated. Raise heat to high and let the pot come to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add squash cubes to the pot and mix gently to combine. Simmer for at least 30 minutes (more time will not hurt) uncovered over low to medium heat. While goulash simmers, prepare spaetzle. If needed, add flour mixed with water to thicken and let simmer for several minutes after adding.
Make spaetzle: Fill a wide pot with about 3 inches of water and place on the stove over high heat to boil. Put flour in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add eggs and water. Mix with a whisk or fork until all the flour is incorporated and smooth. It will be a thick batter. If you have a spaetzle press and know what to do with it this would be a great time to use it, but if not you can use a cutting board and knife, or a grater with 1/4 inch holes and a large spoon. If you're using a board and knife, it should be able to pile and hold its shape for a short time. If you're using a grater, the batter should be thick enough to not drip through the holes until you push it through. Boil until the spaetzle float to the top, then scoop them out with a slotted spoon to drain off the water, and place in a dry bowl.
To serve: Place your desired amount of spaetzle into a soup bowl and ladle the goulash onto the top.
