Fleischnaka: the Alsatian recipe for meat snails

What are fleischnaka?

Fleischnaka, also spelled fleischnacka or fleischschnacka, are a home-cooked Alsatian speciality whose name means “meat snails”: Fleisch for meat and Schnacka for snail. They are made from fresh pasta dough, much like noodle dough, spread with a meat filling, rolled into a log and then cut into slices that look like snail shells.

Above all, it’s a thrifty household dish: it was traditionally made with the leftovers from Sunday’s pot-au-feu and cooked in its broth. The slices are first browned in a pan, then finish cooking in the broth, which makes them wonderfully tender. They are served with a green salad. Discover more specialities of Alsatian cuisine.

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Ingredients for 4 people

For the dough

• 300 g flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water if needed

For the filling

• 500 g cooked beef (ideally pot-au-feu leftovers)
• 1 onion
• 1 garlic clove (optional)
• 1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 1 small stale bread roll (about 50 g), soaked in a little milk or broth
• 1 egg
• Salt, pepper, a hint of nutmeg
• 15 g butter for softening the onion

For cooking

• 500 ml to 1 litre beef broth (ideally from the pot-au-feu)
• 30 g butter or lard, or 2 tablespoons oil

Prep: 45 minutes + 30 minutes’ resting — Cooking: about 25 minutes

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Step by step

1. Make the dough: mix the flour and salt, add the eggs and oil, then knead until smooth and supple, adding a little water if it is too dry. Wrap it in cling film and leave to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onion, then soften it gently for 5 minutes in the butter with the chopped garlic, without letting it colour.
3. Mince the cooked meat in a mincer or chop it finely with a knife. Squeeze out the soaked bread and chop the parsley.
4. In a bowl, mix the meat, onion, bread, parsley and egg. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg: the filling should be well seasoned and hold together.
5. On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a large rectangle about 2 mm thick.
6. Spread the filling in an even layer over the dough, leaving a 2 cm strip clear along one of the long sides. Moisten this edge with a little water.
7. Starting from the filled long side, roll the dough up tightly into a long log, then press the edge to seal.
8. Cut the log into slices about 3 cm thick: these are your “snails”.
9. Heat the butter or lard in a large sauté pan and brown the slices flat, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
10. Pour in hot broth to come halfway up the fleischnaka, cover and simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pasta is tender and the broth has partly reduced.
11. Serve piping hot, with a little broth and a green salad.

Recommended wines

Stay in Alsace: a light, fruity Alsace Pinot Noir is a perfect match for the meat and broth. If you prefer white, choose a Sylvaner or a dry Riesling, whose freshness balances the richness of the dish. Discover Alsace wines

Variations

• No pot-au-feu leftovers? Use 500 g minced beef browned in a pan, mixed with a little sausage meat or chopped smoked bacon if you like.
• Some families serve fleischnaka with a tomato or cream sauce rather than broth.
• To save time, replace the homemade dough with sheets of fresh pasta.

Chef’s tips

• Roll the dough out thinly: if it’s too thick, it stays doughy after cooking in the broth.
• For clean slices, use a very sharp knife or slide a piece of kitchen string under the log and pull it through.
• The rolled log keeps for a few hours in the fridge, wrapped in cling film, and is then easier to slice.
• Fleischnaka reheat very well the next day in a frying pan with a ladleful of broth.

Lucas

Hi, I’m Lucas! My heart beats for the pleasures of the table, and here in Alsace, I’m in paradise. Whether it’s a glass of Riesling shared with friends, a hearty sauerkraut dish, or a culinary adventure around a blueberry tart, I live every meal like a celebration. My goal? To make you hungry with articles that highlight our local producers, talented chefs, and delicious specialties. But beware, I don’t just eat (well, almost): I also offer itineraries to explore our vineyards and gourmet markets.

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