6 servings

Hands on: 45 minutes

Brant Sanderlin/AJC (ENLARGE)
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Total time: 1 hour

If you worry that your diet is lacking in cholesterol, this rich dish will surely solve that problem. But the end result is absolutely delicious - a creamy, earthy, grown-up alternative to mac and cheese.

3 cups all-purpose flour

6 eggs

1/2 cup milk

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups sliced mushrooms

1 (10-ounce) bag fresh spinach

1 pound (30-count) raw shrimp, shelled and deveined

4 cups heavy cream

Pepper to taste

2 cups shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, eggs and milk and salt to taste. Beat until smooth. Add more milk if necessary to create a soft but not runny batter. When water comes to a boil, hold a colander or spaetzle maker over the pot and press the batter through the holes and into the water. (If you are using a colander, spoon the batter in a cupful at a time, coax it through with the back of a large spoon, and then scrape and shake it into the water.) When the dumplings rise to the top, cook 1 to 2 minutes and then scoop out with a sieve or slotted spoon. Drop into a bowl of cold water. When all the spaetzle pieces are cooked, drain them well.

In a large sauté pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Saut? the mushrooms until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and toss to wilt. Push the mushroom mixture aside and saut? the spaetzle in the butter for a few minutes. Add the shrimp and cream and cook 10 to 15 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through and the cream is slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the mixture into a buttered 3-quart baking dish or into individual 2-cup casseroles, such as French onion soup crocks. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden.

Per serving: 1,142 calories (percent of calories from fat, 64), 44 grams protein, 59 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 82 grams fat (49 grams saturated), 571 milligrams cholesterol, 376 milligrams sodium.