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03/31/2001 Archived Entry: "Hazelnut Noodle Dessert"

Last night, I tested two recipes from Kay Shaw Nelson’s All Along The Rhine: Recipes, Wine and Lore from Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Holland. I made the Baked Sweet Noodles from Liechtenstein and Meatballs in Caper Sauce from Germany. Unfortunately, neither worked the way they should have, as I suspected from reading them.

The sweet noodles, although delicious because I used the awesomely flavorful hazelnuts I buy mail order from Washington state (more on them in a moment), ended up with too much liquid at the bottom of the pan, and the direction “bake until noodles are tender” was silly. The noodles were already tender because they are boiled first.
The meatball recipe requires twice as much liquid to simmer them in as the recipe specifies, much more thickening as a result, and the meatballs themselves could do with more seasoning. When you test a recipe, you follow the directions precisely and so I didn’t, against my judgement, add salt to the meat mixture. There are anchovies in the meatballs and, giving the book the benefit of the doubt, I thought they might be providing enough salt. I saved the dish so we could eat it for dinner, and we rather liked it, but the recipe I offer here is my take, not the book’s.
I would actually make the noodles again, and offer here how I would do it next time, not as I did it last night. I’m in Philadelphia for that city’s Book and the Cook event this weekend, but will try the noodles again on Monday night, according to this revised recipe, and give you a report.

Now, those hazelnuts. I discovered them while in Seattle and visiting the Pike Place Market. They are from Holmquist Hazelnut Orchard, 9821 Holmquist Road, Lynden, WA 98264. You can call them at (360) 988-9240 or FAX at (360) 988-6202. The orchard, the largest hazelnut orchard in the state of Washington, is in the heart of Whatcom County. There is a Holmquist Orchard website, but I have had trouble getting it. The nuts don’t look like the typical round hazelnut, by the way. They are more oval. But they are packed with flavor. I buy the salted ones to serve with drinks. I buy the dry-roasted unsalted ones to use in cooking. They all come vacuum packed in plastic bags that can be re-sealed with a zip-type closure.

Hazelnut Dessert Noodles
Serves 6

In “All Along The Rhine” these are called Baked Sweet Noodles but I am not even going to bother baking them next time. I don’t see why I won’t get a wonderful result doing it all on top of the stove. Even in the oven, the noodles do not hold together as in a noodle pudding. One would have to add eggs to get that result, which isn’t such a bad idea. You might want to play with this and beat the cream-milk mixture with two eggs, then pour it over the noodles and bake for 30 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven.

8 ounces wide egg noodles
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut up
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (not chopped too fine – there should offer some crunch and texture)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons apricot preserves or orange marmalade
1 cup half and half, or 1/2 cup heavy cream mixed with 1/2 cup milk (can be low fat), or 1 cup whole milk
Confectioners’ sugar

Cook the noodles in plenty lightly salted water until just tender.

In a 2- to 3-quart saucepan, combine the noodles with all the remaining ingredients and toss over medium heat until all the liquid has been absorbed by the noodles.

Serve hot or warm, sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.


Pork Meatballs in Caper Sauce
Serves 6

In German, these are called Konigsberger Klops, after the Baltic seaport of Konigsberg, which is now part of Russia. The caper and lemon flavoring is very nice, and the gravy, as I made it with canned beef broth, was so good we dunked bread into it. It would be excellent on egg noodles. I’m sure you could make these with beef or veal, or a mix of two or three ground meats and they would be excellent, too. Maybe better.

2 pounds ground pork or beef or veal, or a mixture
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk (can be low fat)
2 eggs
1 cup very finely minced onion (about 1 medium onion)
4 anchovy fillets, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 quarts beef broth or bouillon
6 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons capers, drained if packed in vinegar brine, rinsed well if packed in salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine the meat, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, onion, anchovies, salt and pepper. Starting with a fork, blend all the ingredients together, then using your hands, mix them very well.

Shape the meat mixture into 2-inch balls. You should have from 20 to 24.

In a 5-quart saucepan or stove-top casserole, bring the broth or bouillon to a boil. Drop in the meatballs and, uncovered over high heat, let the liquid come back to a simmer. When it does, lower the heat so the liquid simmers briskly, but isn’t at a rolling boil, and let the meatballs cook for 15 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, remove the meatballs from the liquid, place on a platter or in a bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat (or heat the oil slightly), then blend in the flour. Cook, stirring frequently, until the flour turns a light brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, let the flour and oil or butter mixture cool slightly, then beat in, with a whisk, a couple of cups of the meatball cooking broth. Then beat this thickened broth into the main pot of broth.

Add the lemon juice and capers to the gravy, bring to a simmer and simmer, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.

Return the meatballs to the gravy and simmer a few minutes to re-heat them.

Serve very hot, with lots of bread for dunking or over egg noodles.