Vorarlberg Cheese Spaetzle (Drop Noodles)

I lived in western Austria for a good long while. This is a traditional dish that really needs to be made with the local cheeses. In this country I’ve found Appenzeller (a firm alpine cheese) at Murray’s in New York — and they have a mail order service. Use a spaetzle maker if you can locate one. It looks like an oblong piece of metal with holes the size of peas, with an attached funnel to hold the batter that slides back and forth to force the batter through. If not, you can force the batter through through any colander with larger holes, or simply use a spoon to push small chunks (no bigger than a piece of elbow macaroni) into the boiling water. The crisply fried onions are crucial to flavor and texture. Serve with a green or cucumber salad. Note the measurements are metric.