Maultaschen — Swabian Filled Pasta Pockets
Swabia's beloved 'pasta pockets': large squares of fresh pasta wrapped around a savoury filling of minced meat, spinach, soaked bread and onion. Legend says monks hid meat inside the dough to eat it discreetly during Lent — hence the nickname 'Herrgottsbscheißerle' (little God-foolers). Served floating in beef broth, or pan-fried in ribbons with egg and onions.
Make a smooth fresh pasta dough of flour, egg and a little oil, and rest it. Mix a filling of minced meat (or just spinach), blanched and squeezed spinach, soaked bread, sautéed onion, parsley and nutmeg. Roll the dough thin, pipe or spoon the filling in a line, fold the dough over, press out the air and cut into large rectangles, sealing well. Poach gently in simmering beef broth until they float and the filling is cooked. Serve in the broth, or pan-fried.
- Roll the pasta thin and seal the pockets well so they don't burst in the broth.
- Squeeze the blanched spinach really dry so the filling holds together.
- Poach gently — a bare simmer, never a hard boil, keeps the maultaschen intact.
Equipment
- Rolling pin or pasta machine
- Large pot
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
Pasta dough
- 300 g plain (or 00) flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp oil, pinch of salt
Filling
- 300 g minced pork and beef, or all spinach for meat-free
- 250 g spinach, blanched and squeezed dry
- 1 bread roll, soaked and squeezed
- 1 onion, sautéed; parsley, nutmeg, salt, pepper
- 1 egg, to bind
To serve
- 1.5 L beef broth
- Chopped chives or fried onions
Method
- STEP01
Mix the flour, eggs, oil and salt into a smooth, firm pasta dough and knead well. Wrap and rest 30 minutes.
- STEP02
Combine the minced meat, squeezed spinach, soaked bread, sautéed onion, parsley, nutmeg, seasoning and the binding egg into a cohesive filling.
- STEP03
Roll the dough thin into long sheets. Pipe or spoon a line of filling along one half, brush the edges with water, fold the dough over, and press firmly around the filling to seal and push out air.
- STEP04
Press to divide into large rectangles (about 8 cm) and cut, making sure each pocket is well sealed on all sides.
- STEP05
Lower the maultaschen into gently simmering beef broth and poach until they float and the filling is cooked, 8–10 minutes (don't boil hard). Serve in bowls of the hot broth with chives — or drain and pan-fry.
Make ahead
Make and shape the maultaschen ahead and freeze raw, or cook ahead and refrigerate. They reheat in broth, and leftovers are excellent sliced and fried. A great make-ahead for a crowd.
Storage
Cooked maultaschen keep 3 days refrigerated. Uncooked ones freeze well — freeze on a floured tray, then bag, and poach from frozen. Leftover maultaschen are classically sliced and pan-fried with egg and onion (geschmälzte/geröstete Maultaschen) the next day.
Variations
Maultaschen in der Brühe
Serve whole in clear beef broth with chives — the classic light way.
Geröstete Maultaschen
Slice and pan-fry in butter with onions, then pour over beaten egg — the beloved leftover dish.
Vegetarian
Fill with just spinach, bread, onion and cheese for a meat-free version (no longer Lent-cheating, but delicious).
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Frequently asked
What are maultaschen?
Maultaschen are large Swabian filled pasta pockets — think oversized ravioli — stuffed with a mix of minced meat, spinach, soaked bread and onion. They're a speciality of southwest Germany, served either floating in beef broth or sliced and pan-fried with egg and onions.
Why are they nicknamed 'Herrgottsbscheißerle'?
It means roughly 'little God-foolers'. Legend has it Cistercian monks wanted to eat meat during Lent, so they hid it inside pasta dough where God couldn't see it. Whether or not it's true, the name and the spinach-and-meat filling stuck.
How do I stop them bursting?
Roll the pasta thin but not paper-thin, press out all the air around the filling, and seal the edges firmly (brush with water to help them stick). Then poach gently at a bare simmer — a hard, rolling boil is what tears them open.
Can I make them vegetarian?
Yes — fill them with just spinach, soaked bread, sautéed onion, herbs and a little cheese, skipping the meat. They won't be the Lenten meat-smugglers of legend, but they're a delicious vegetarian version.
What's the best way to serve leftovers?
Geröstete (or geschmälzte) Maultaschen: slice the cooked maultaschen and pan-fry them in butter with onions until golden, often with beaten egg poured over to set. It's a beloved Swabian way to use up leftovers and many people's favourite way to eat them.
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