| Carinthian noodles were already well known and loved in the Middle Ages. Paolo Santonino, secretary to the patriarch of Aquilea, mentioned the “pastries with tasty fillings prepared by the diligent women” as early as 1487 AD on the occasion of one of his trips through the Drau Valley. | The Carinthian noodle is made of thinly rolled noodle dough that is shaped to a fist-sized pocket and filled with various delicacies – ranging from savory to sweet. The variations range from the traditional spicy Kasnudel (quark/potato filling, spiced with mint and/or chervil), to the Fleischnudel (smoked pork), the delicious Spinatnudel (spinach/quark filling), to the sweet Kletzennudel (dried pears with quark) and satisfy every taste. The typical characteristic of these traditional noodles is the “gekrendelte” edge. |
“Krendeln” means sealing and crimping the edges using a kind of zigzag pattern. Indicative of the importance that was assigned to a beautifully edged pastry in the past is the Carinthian saying – "A Dirndl, dås nit krendeln kån, kriegt kan Månn." (A girl who can’t crimp her edges will never find a husband.) Carinthian noodles were eaten especially on Friday, when according to Catholic tradition, no meat was eaten. Today they are widespread in Austrian homes and restaurants and enjoy increasing popularity. |
The Carinthian Noodle
