December 19, 2016 by Pechluck 6 Comments
My sister mentioned a show called My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend to me, and I ended up binging on the entire first season in one weekend when I found it on Netflix (it’s also available on Hulu). If you haven’t heard of this show, it’s about a girl who runs into her childhood first love and moves to California to follow him. The episodes tend to center around her schemes how to get together with him, believing he is her destiny. You can see where the “crazy” part of this comes in, but the show did a good job in the first season of balancing the realistic fact a woman can be smart yet a bit unsound about love at the same time, fed by unrealistic messages about how true love can rationalize lots of wackiness. There are also lots of humorous musical numbers in each episode with fun lyrics. In a recent episode in the current season, the main character Rebecca makes kugel, and suddenly I wanted it.
Kugel is a Jewish egg noodle casserole dish with a custard of eggs, milk, and cheese. It may be sweet by adding sugar and cinnamon and perhaps vanilla and fruit, but there are also versions that are savory which is what I think the character Rebecca made. They are baked in rectangular pans that are then served in squares.
This dish is my twist on this version by Farm to Table LA who followed her grandmother’s worn, faded, and well loved recipe card. It used a lot more butter, eggs, and cheese than others, but trust a recipe card that looks like that straight from any grandma. The butter helps create the crispy edges that are 40% part of the highlights of this dish, and the egg and cheese once cooled makes this hold together well.
I did add additional vegetables with sauteed onions and I had some leftover peas, but you could add any vegetable: if I had it I would have loved sauteed spinach and mushrooms too.
This recipe makes 9 servings.
Ingredients:
- 16 ounces of wide egg noodles, cooked al dente
- 1 stick butter
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 32 ounces small curd cottage cheese
- 5 tablespoons of sour cream
- 1 cup diced sautéed onions (optional)
- 1 cup frozen peas, or you can use sauteed spinach, mushrooms, etc. (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper and more to taste
- Grated Parmesan (optional) to serve
- Chopped parsley to garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Cook the egg noodles until al dente, drain the water and set aside. If you want, you can put in a teaspoon of butter and mix it so the noodles don’t stick to each other while you complete the other steps if not doing them simultaneously.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Put a stick of butter in a 13 x 9 pan and let it melt in the oven as it preheats.
- Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the 5 eggs, 1 cup milk, 32 ounces of cottage cheese, and 5 tablespoons of sour cream. Season generously with the 1/2 teaspoons each of salt and pepper. Optionally also combine in the 1 cup of sautéed diced onions or peas. Instead of peas you could also add other savory ingredients like mushrooms and or sautéed spinach.
- Add the cooked egg noodles into the egg and cheese mixture and stir.
- Pour the noodles with eggs and cheese mixture directly over the melted butter: no need to further stir.
- Cover and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes
- Uncover and bake for approx another 15-30 more minutes – keep checking until you see the sides and top of the dish are golden brown and there are lots of browned edges and top, but not so dark brown it is burning.
- Garnish with the chopped parsley (optional). You can serve the dish warm, but I think it’s best after an hour when the Kugel has set and is firmer. Otherwise when you cut it into the squarish pieces it will not hold together.
Serve with salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan to top per each individual’s taste. The best pieces are the corner pieces of course since they offer more crunchy parts. It tastes fine without the grated Parmesan, but I love making it snow cheese.
Have you ever heard of or had kugel before, or any other Jewish dish? Do you watch My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend?
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FAQs
ILOC tip: if you can't find farmer cheese, just do a full pound of cottage cheese instead. If you prefer farmer cheese to cottage cheese, then skip the cottage cheese altogether. Don't really want to use cream cheese? No problem, just use 1 pound each of cottage cheese and farmer cheese.
Is noodle Kugel better hot or cold? ›
Kugel is traditionally served as a side dish alongside something meaty like brisket or roast chicken. In this case it would normally be served warm, but it can also be refrigerated and eaten cold the next day. Sweeter versions can also be eaten hot or cold, and taste great with fresh cream or vanilla ice cream.
What holiday is kugel served? ›
Kugel (Yiddish: קוגל kugl, pronounced [ˈkʊɡl̩]) is a baked casserole, most commonly made from lokshen (לאָקשן קוגל lokshen kugel) or potato. It is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish, often served on Shabbos and Jewish holidays. American Jews also serve it for Thanksgiving dinner.
Is kugel sweet or savory? ›
Noodle kugel is a traditional baked dish that's usually served during Jewish holidays, but this version is so good, you're going to want to make it any time of the year for any occasion. It can be sweet or savory, and this one most definitely goes the savory route.
What is the closest cheese to farmers cheese? ›
What's a good substitute for farmer's cheese? We've already mentioned that cottage cheese is a good alternative, but Indian paneer and ricotta work too. That said, certain Slavic recipes (like pierogis, blintzes, and vareniki) are simply not as authentic without it.
Why is my farmers cheese rubbery? ›
Too much rennet was used or too much butterfat, left your cheese during the process. Rubbery cheese can happen when an excess amount of rennet is used, too much rennet equals a rubber ball, too little, soup!
Why do Jews eat noodle Kugel? ›
As Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz once said, “Jews eat lots of lokshen on Shabbat because noodles are symbolic of the unity of the people of Israel: They are so tangled that they can never be separated.” Noodle kugel may not actually be eaten by all Jews, but it has clearly reached far beyond mere Ashkenazi cuisine.
Why does my noodle Kugel fall apart? ›
Once it's baked, a kugel needs to cool, otherwise it will fall apart when slicing. Give it at least an hour to cool and set up, then slice and serve it warm or at room temperature.
What to serve with cheese kugel? ›
The best side dishes to serve with kugel are Jewish brisket, cholent, shakshuka, Caesar salad, chicken soup, gefilte fish, zucchini fritters, applesauce, cucumber salad, pickled beets, tzatziki sauce, potato latkes, roast vegetables, matzo ball soup, coleslaw.
What does kugel mean in Yiddish? ›
The name of the dish comes from the Yiddish word kugel meaning 'sphere, globe, ball'; thus the Yiddish name likely originated as a reference to the round balls of dough that were placed in the center of the cholent, a traditional Shabbat stew, to cook alongside it and absorb its flavors for its later use as a side dish ...
The structure and, for some, the sugar within kugel represents the manna which signaled Shabbat. It is for this reason that we serve kugel on Shabbat, the holiest day of the week in Judaism. This includes all other celebrations on the Sabbath such as bar and bat mitzvahs.
Why is kugel eaten at Hanukkah? ›
It commonly makes an appearance on the dinner table during Shavuot (along with bourekas), when it's traditional to consume dairy foods, and Shabbat because it's said that kugel resembles the manna that fell from heaven. It's the perfect side dish for a Hanukkah latke party, adding some richness to the meal.
What is a South African kugel? ›
South African slang (usually derogatory). A type of wealthy young (Jewish) woman, characterized as being shallow and materialistic.
Can I freeze kugel? ›
While kugel is best fresh from the oven, you can freeze it, wrapped well, then reheat ovenight.
How long does leftover kugel last? ›
Storing leftover baked kugel: Let cool completely, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. How to freeze noodle kugel: Unbaked or baked, kugel should be tightly sealed in plastic wrap and again in foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking or reheating.
What is another name for farmers cheese? ›
Also called twaróg, tvorog, or syr, among other names. Found in almost every Slavic, Baltic, and Germanic country. American-Style Farmer's Cheese. This is basically cottage cheese that has been pressed to remove water.
Is farmer's cheese the same as ricotta? ›
Though very similar and interchangeable in most recipes; ricotta is made from whey, whereas Farmer's cheese is made from milk.
Is ricotta cheese like farmers cheese? ›
Cottage cheese and Farmer's cheese are casein cheeses produced from using an acid like vinegar, while ricotta is a whey cheese made from the leftover sweet whey after making rennet based cheeses.
What is considered farmers cheese? ›
What is farmer's cheese? Farmer's cheese, a fresh cheese variety, is a pressed cottage cheese that is slightly more acidic and has a firmer texture, thanks to a lower moisture content. Farmer's cheese can be made from the milk of cows, sheep, or goats and can be rolled in different herbs or seasonings for extra flavor.
