Älplermagronen

thumb|Älplermagronen served with apple compote Älplermagronen, also spelled Älplermakkaronen, is a dish from the Alpine regions of Switzerland, consisting of pasta, potatoes, cream, cheese, and onions. The name is made up of "Älpler" as a designation for the Alpine herder and "Magronen", which was taken as a loan word from the Italian word maccheroni.

==History== Älplermagronen are now regarded as a traditional dish of the Swiss Alps and a classic of Swiss comfort foods. According to a popular theory, pasta became widespread in northern Switzerland in the late 19th century, when the Gotthard Tunnel was built, partly by Italian workers who brought dry pasta with them. In any case, dry pasta eventually became very popular in Switzerland, especially among the herdsmen, because it could be conserved easily and was very light given its nutritional value – both invaluable advantages at a time when all foods except milk and cheese had to be transported up to the alp. The "Magronen" were stretched with local potatoes, enriched with cream and cheese, and seasoned with onions. This hearty dish was easy to prepare in a cauldron over an open fire and was particularly filling after a hard working day on the alp.