Kasnudeln are the defining dish of Carinthian cuisine and the best reason to eat locally while in Villach. These large, crescent-shaped pasta parcels are filled with a mixture of Topfen (Austrian fresh cheese similar to quark), potato, and fresh mint — the mint is essential and non-negotiable in a proper version — then boiled and served with melted brown butter and a light dusting of chives.
You will find them on virtually every traditional restaurant menu in the city. The quality varies considerably: the best versions have a thin, tender pasta shell and a filling where the mint flavour is pronounced without being sharp. Paired with a glass of Blaufränkisch from the Burgenland or a Welschriesling from the Slovenian border, they make a satisfying lunch. Look for restaurants that describe them as hausgemacht (homemade) — the alternative is frozen pasta from a catering supplier, which is easy to tell apart once you've had the real thing.