Lokshen Kugel
(Israeli Jewish sweet noodle pudding)
Image by Meal Makeover Moms
Kugels are sweet or savory puddings that originated with Ashkenazi Jews, those from Eastern Europe. Lokshen kugel, or "noodle pudding," is probably the most popular. It is usually sweet and is often studded with chopped fruit.
Kugels are often served at Sabbath meals and for Jewish holidays. Sometimes spelled kigel.
6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- Egg noodles -- 12 ounces
- Sour cream -- 1 cup
- Cream cheese, room temperature -- 1 cup
- Eggs, beaten -- 3
- Butter or margarine, melted -- 3 tablespoons
- Sugar -- 1/3 cup
- Cinnamon -- 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt -- pinch
- Raisins -- 1/2 cup
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cool water and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the sour cream, cream cheese, eggs and melted butter until smooth. Add the sugar, cinnamon and salt and continue beating until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the cooked noodles and the raisins.
- Pour the pudding batter into a greased baking dish and place in the oven. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the pudding is set and the top is lightly browned. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.
Kugel Variations
- Substitute pot cheese or cottage cheese for the cream cheese. Put the cottage cheese through a sieve to break it up before stirring it into the rest of the ingredients.
- All kinds of extra goodies can be stirred into your kugel. Try chopped apples, chopped nuts, chopped pineapple, dried apricots or cherries.
- For a nice crust, mix 1/2 cup breadcrumbs with a few tablespoons of melted butter, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top of the kugel before you put it in the oven. Other toppings include chopped nuts, crumbled cornflakes, crumbled matzo or graham cracker crumbs.
