For the dough, mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the eggs and stir well with a wooden spoon. Mix with the water to form a viscous dough. Beat the dough with a wooden spoon for about 5 mins until it bubbles and falls off the spoon very slowly. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for 10 mins.

Heat the oven to 120C/100C fan/gas 1/2. Heat the butter in a large pan, tip in the onions and cook for 3-4 mins until translucent. Stir in the sugar and caramelise for 5 mins. Butter 4 ovenproof ramekins (around 15cm).

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Moisten the spätzle maker with a little cold water and place on the pan. If you don’t have a spätzle maker, you can use either a potato ricer or a colander and push it through in the same way. Put a quarter of the dough on the slicer and press it into the boiling water with the help of the spatula. When the spätzle rise to the surface, let them cook for 1 min. Skim off the spätzle and divide into the prepared ramekins. Spread a quarter of each cheeses evenly on top. Keep warm in the preheated oven. Repeat these steps three times. When the cheese has melted, take the spätzle out of the oven. Serve with the fried onions, chives and freshly ground black pepper. This recipe has been provided by Das Kochrezept and not been re-tested by us.