Serves 4
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoons nutmeg
4 eggs, beaten
About 1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
12 chives, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sift the flour, salt and nutmeg into a bowl. Make a well and pour in the eggs and 1 cup of the milk; beat with a wooden spoon. Add more milk as needed to make the dough slightly sticky, yet keeping it elastic and stiff. Using a spaetzle machine or a colander with medium-sized holes, press the dough into a large pot full of boiling, salted water. Cook the spaetzle about 5 minutes, until they rise to the surface. Use a slotted spoon to lift the noodles out of the water; transfer to paper towels to drain.
In a sauté pan over low heat brown the butter. Stir in the spaetzle, chives and pepper; serve immediately.