This is macaroni and cheese gone royal– tender, buttery dumplings with bubbling gruyère and sweet onions. A warning: As you pull it out of the oven, you won’t be able to resist digging a spoon in and tasting it immediately. Watch out– it’s a surefire way to burn your mouth!

Yield: 4 servings

Add oil and butter to a sauté pan on medium heat. When foam from butter has subsided and oil is shimmering, add onions. Season onions with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook an additional 10–15 minutes until onions are very soft. Add onions to bowl with dumplings, and gently mix.

Brush an oven-safe dish with melted butter. Sift flour, salt, and pepper into a bowl. Add eggs, egg yolk, milk, and parsley to a separate bowl, and mix well. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and gently mix until combined.

Bring several quarts of water to a boil, and season water with salt. Push batter through a spaetzle-maker or cheese-grater into water. Boil for 2–3 minutes, and strain dumplings. Place dumplings in buttered dish. Pour remaining melted butter over, and mix.

Preheat broiler to high. Sprinkle onions over dumplings. Top with gruyère, and place dish in oven. Broil until cheese is bubbling and light golden brown. Sprinkle chives on top, and serve immediately.