1. Soften Vegetables

   In a 4-qt. Dutch oven heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil over medium. Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add bell pepper and garlic; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until pepper is tender. Remove from pan.

2. Brown the Meat

   Sprinkle meat with salt and black pepper. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to Dutch oven. Add meat, one-third at a time, and cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until browned, adding additional oil if needed.

3. Add Liquid and Spices

   Return all of the meat and the onion mixture to Dutch oven. Stir in paprika. Cook and stir over medium heat 30 seconds. Stir in next five ingredients (through caraway seeds).

4. Simmer

   Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 1 1/4 hours or until meat is very tender. Remove and discard bay leaves. Serve meat mixture over Homemade Egg Noodles or Spaetzle.

Homemade Egg Noodles

1. Mix the Dough

   In a large bowl stir together 1 3/4 cups of the flour and the salt. Using the back of a spoon, make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In a small bowl combine egg yolks, whole egg, the water, and oil. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir until mixture forms dough.

2. Knead the Dough

   Sprinkle a clean kneading surface with the remaining 1/4 cup flour. Turn out dough onto the floured surface. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes total kneading time). Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Divide the dough into four equal portions.

3. Make Noodles

   On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough portion into a 12-inch square (about 1/16 inch thick). Lightly dust both sides of the dough square with additional flour. Let stand, uncovered, about 20 minutes. (Or using a pasta machine, pass each dough portion through machine according to manufacturer's directions until dough is 1/16 inch thick, dusting dough with flour as needed. Let stand, uncovered, for 20 minutes.) Loosely roll dough square into a spiral; cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Unroll strips to separate; cut strips into 2- to 3-inch-long pieces. Cook noodle pieces in a large amount of boiling lightly salted water for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender; drain well. (Or place noodle pieces in a resealable plastic bag or an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before cooking.)

Spaetzle

1. Combine Dough Ingredients

   In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Stir in eggs and 3/4 cup of the milk. Continue adding milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until mixture reaches the consistency of thick pancake batter. (Mixture may be slightly lumpy and should fall off a spatula in thin ribbons.) Let stand 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Cook Spaetzle

   Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boiling. Set a colander with coarse holes over the pan of rapidly boiling water and pour batter into colander. Press through holes with a rubber spatula. Cook and stir 1 minute; drain. If desired, toss spaetzle with butter and/or pepper.

Homemade Egg Noodles Food Processor Directions

Place steel blade in food processor. Add all of the flour, salt, and eggs to food processor. Cover and process until mixture forms fine crumbs, about the consistency of cornmeal. With the food processor running, slowly pour the water and oil through the feed tube. Continue processing just until the dough forms a ball. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Cover; let dough rest for 10 minutes. Divide the dough into four equal portions. Continue as directed in Step 3.

Homemade Egg Noodles Drying Directions

To dry cut noodles, spread noodles on a wire rack or hang them from a pasta-drying rack or clothes hanger. Let pasta dry for up to 2 hours. Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before cooking. Or dry the noodles for at least 1 hour; place them in a plastic freezer bag or freezer container. Seal and freeze for up to 8 months before cooking. Add 1 to 2 minutes to cooking time for dried or frozen noodles.

Prepare Homemade Egg Noodles as directed through Step 2. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in airtight freezer container; seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator; continue with Step 3.

Spaetzle Tip

You may use a steamer basket insert instead of the colander when pressing the batter through the holes. The basket should have holes that are 1/8 to 1/4 inch in diameter. If desired, used two wooden spoons to prop the basket over the pan of rapidly boiling water.