Swabian Street Legend · Giant Meat Ravioli
Maultaschen
Photo: Eschenzweig / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Locals nickname them 'Herrgottsbescheißerle' — 'little God-cheaters' — after a legend that monks hid meat inside the pasta during Lent so God wouldn't notice.
Large pasta pockets are stuffed with a mix of ground meat, spinach, onion, and breadcrumbs, then either boiled and served in broth or pan-fried with egg. Swabian market stalls and Imbiss counters sell them by the piece, sliced into a cup of broth for an easy hand-held lunch.
Why it's made this way: The Lenten-loophole legend ties the dish to Maulbronn Monastery, though the monastery's own records suggest the folk story is more charming than historically airtight.
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Part of World of Street Food — 690 dishes from 118 countries.
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