Maultasche

Dumplings are a specialty of Swabian cuisine; there are pockets of pasta dough with a filling of ground meat, spinach, onion and soaked bread. In many families there are special recipes that provide for other ingredients such as cooked ham, smoked ham sausage, ground beef or roast leftovers. The Swabian ravioli are protected since 2009 by the EU in its Origin and fall into the class protected geographical indication. This means that at least one of the stages of production - production, processing or preparation - is run through the area of ​​origin.

Preparation

The ingredients for the filling are prepared according to the recipe and mixed, so that forms a smooth mass. The composition is applied and spread on the dough. Depending on your preference ravioli can be folded or rolled. A little water or egg white combines the noodle dough ends better and prevents cracking of the ravioli. With a wooden spoon handle individual ravioli are separated and then cut off.

Be cooked the ravioli in boiling salted water or broth. From there they are skimmed off and put to drain.

It serves dumplings usually one of the following ways:

• In a broth as a soup.
• " Oiled ", ie covered with sauteed in browned butter onions, there are often potato salad.
• " Roasted ", here the ravioli are cut into strips and then fried in a pan ( with onions and / or egg).

Legends to the emergence

On the origin of this court, there are various legends.

One says that in this way the Cistercian monks of the monastery Maulbronn ( hence the name Maultasche ) wanted to hide in Lent the meat from love God, which led to the popularly nicknamed " Herrgottsbscheißerle ". Slightly modified tells you that there were Protestants who secretly adding to it the originally filled with herbs and spinach dumpling meat. For this, the tradition fits in Swabian families that " dumplings in the broth " the typical dish on Holy Thursday. The ravioli already made ​​plenty of it then on the following Good Friday in one of the other possible methods of preparation.

There will also be that it is only a Swabian copy known Italian pasta such as ravioli and tortellini at the mouth bags. In the vicinity of Maulbronn there are numerous Waldensian places. Waldenses were Protestant religious refugees from northern Italy who introduced also the mulberry tree, alfalfa, cultivation of tobacco and 1710 the potato in southern Germany. This would be ravioli of Italian origin. The filling of spinach indicates the Italian origin.

The General Küchenlexicon for Frauenzimmer calls in 1794, several recipes for ravioli. However, it is desserts.

Regardless of the origin were ravioli earlier as the court of poor people, as meat, bread and vegetables residues could be processed in the filling and then offered another meal.

Etymology

The origin of the word Maultasche dates back to the 16th century and is first in importance as a " slap" testifies. Bag is doing well on " paw " or " tätschen " within the meaning of " strike " back. Only later did the pasta was named after it. Probably due to the swollen form, similar to a cheek for a slap. Another possible explanation is that it has " grind " from an old long "a" of the word as a result Swabian Dialekteigentümlichkeit: bag with ground content.

Dissemination

The inhabitants of Swabia claim to be the stem region of foot pockets for themselves, but also in neighboring Baden and Bavaria they are traditional dishes.

Meanwhile dumplings known as specialty far beyond the Swabian borders. As a convenience food they are offered nationwide today; Leader is the manufacturer citizens.

Similar to ravioli are the numerous Teigtaschengerichte from around the world. Can be mentioned: Italian ravioli, tortellini, Carinthian noodles, Tyrolean ravioli, Russian pelmeni or Wareniki, Polish Pierogi, and Chinese Jiaozi or wontons, and Mandu in Korean cuisine.