Maultaschen are a filled pasta specialty from Swabia.
Maultaschen are large parcels of pasta dough filled with a mixture that may include minced meat, spinach, bread, onions, and herbs. They can be served in broth, sliced and fried with egg, or prepared with onions and butter.
The dish is strongly associated with Swabia in southwestern Germany, particularly Baden-Württemberg. A popular legend says that monks at Maulbronn concealed meat inside pasta during Lent, which led to the nickname “Herrgottsbescheißerle,” loosely referring to deceiving God.
That story is folklore rather than a proven single origin. Maultaschen are also sometimes compared with ravioli or other filled dumplings, but their large size, rectangular shape, and Swabian preparation traditions make them distinct within German cuisine.