To try and decide each week where and what to eat around the basin can be a challenge – there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next.
When you think of great pasta dishes, chances are you’re not thinking of spätzle. But the dish that is derived from the Swabian region of Germany is very much indeed a pasta that should be in the consideration … and it just so happens to be this week’s feature.
To kick things off, this pasta is made from scratch at Himmel Haus every morning with egg, flour, nutmeg, white pepper, and salt. However, this dough doesn’t rest like most other doughs. It’s rather more like a wet noodle dough that is pushed through a strainer into boiling water creating a free-forming pasta. After about 10 minutes it’s plunged into an ice bath to stop the cooking and get ready for order.
Once that happens, it is sauteed in clarified butter with onions, salt and pepper, along with a little parsley – a very traditional preparation. You have the option to add in bacon or wurst (or both), and truth be told you cannot go wrong with either.
The unique texture of this pasta allows for the bacon flavor to soak into each piece beautifully, transferring that salty/smoky flavor of the bacon into the entire dish. If choosing the wurst, you get your choice of Bratwurst (pork) or Bockwurst (veal), each of which are grilled and set atop the pasta. If you want something a little less German, assorted game sausages or Kielbasa are always also available.
For the pasta, that uniqueness shines through with a striking balance of crispy and chewy with a slight sweetness from the onion, which also pulls double duty as a texture component. Adding in the protein makes this quite the meal and I would suggest going big and pairing with one of their many German beers on tap. Oh, and don’t forget the mustard.
Himmel Haus is located at 3819 Saddle Rd. in South Lake Tahoe. For menu items and additional information visit them online at himmelhausslt.com or reach them by phone at 530-314-7665.
