Boil water in very large pot (your largest one) adding 2 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon butter, butter, or oil. Fill pot with water about 3/4 full. Watch spaetzles after adding to water because the boil over easily.

3 c. sifted flour
3 eggs
1/8 tsp. salt

In large bowl mix these three ingredients with a fork (wooden if you have one).

Add about 1/2 cup cold water and mix with a spoon, beating dough until it blisters. Dough should be moist.

Flour large wooden cutting board well. Spoon all dough onto board. Flatten. With large floured knife cut dough into thin strips about one inches long, as thin as you can cut the strips. Drop strips into boiling water, gradually as you cut them. Keep flouring batter as you cut to prevent sticking to knife. If your cutting board is small divide dough into three parts, flattening well before starting to cut.

Cook gently 10 to 12 minutes, partially covering to reboil water quickly.

Add 1 cup cold water to pot. Drain in colander.

The spaetzles taste especially good with pot roast gravy, roast chicken and gravy, goulash, or any kind of gravy dish.

If you wish to prepare spaetzles ahead of time put them into cold water two times, straining each time. Keep chilled and strained spaetzles until serving time. To reheat: Put spaetzles in pot and pour four quarts of boiling water over them. Drain well. Repeat if they need further heating.

Incidentally spaetzles are delicious with just melted butter over them.

After preparing this recipe two or three times you will become skillful at it and be able to do it much more quickly and cut the spaetzles much thinner.