*Spaetzle and Cheese

Spaetzle and Cheese:
1 box of spaetzle (or about 4 cups home made)
3 cups cheese - This time I used a good variation of cheeses but primarily I use swiss and cheddar, those are the key players for what I'd consider a good macaroni dish. Whatever your family prefers is what you should use.


Mother Gravy:
Bacon drippings if available*
4 tablespoons butter
? cup flour
2-3 cups of milk
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Topping:
a few tablespoons pecorino romano cheese (or whatever you have on hand thats similar)
a few tablespoons bread crumbs

In a sauce pot melt butter and grease , combine 1/3 cup of flour and whisk/cook over medium low heat for 3 minutes or until barely brown. Slowly whisk in half of the milk,  salt and pepper. Bring to a boil whisk in additional 1 cup of milk as needed. Add cheese and stir until melted.

Prepare spaetzle according to box directions, but cook it slightly less (about 3 minutes less than directed) Combine the cheese sauce with the spaetzle and pour into a buttered baking dish that holds about 2 quarts. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and grated cheese on top. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the top has browned slightly.

***When I'm making family dinners I make double sometimes triple batches of my mother gravy. Often I will crisp bacon and mushrooms in the pan and set it aside for my green bean casserole. I then proceed to make a large batch of gravy that I divide between my meals casseroles. If your dividing your gravy in this manner you would simply melt the cheese into your gravy before mixing it with the spaetzle.