Sweet Lokshen Kugel
Kugel is a traditional pudding based on a starch, a fat (such as milk fat and/or butter), and eggs, developed by Jewish cooks in Europe centuries ago. Emigrants from Eastern Europe (including Barry's family, who came to New York from the Ukraine), brought kugel recipes to America. The word 'lokshen' is Yiddish for 'noodle,' so the starch in this kugel is noodles, preferably egg noodles. This sweet kugel can be a side dish for a meal, or served as dessert. It is very adaptable: nuts, different dried fruits, or various crunchy toppings such as bread crumbs or graham cracker crumbs, can be added.
Ingredients:
8 ro 10 oz wide egg noodles
1 cup regular or golden raisins, or other dried fruit or nuts, or pineapple chunks
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream (regular or low fat)
2 cups cottage cheese (regular or low fat)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup margarine, softened
2 tsp vanilla, cinnamon for dusting the top
Preheat oven to 350 oF, lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Cook noodles in boiling water for 6-8 minutes until soft, drain and return noodles to the pot.
While noodles are cooking, plump raisins or other fruit and or nuts by putting in a microwave safe bowl with a little water and heating on HI for 1 minute, let sit 5 minutes, drain off any extra liquid.
Stir the margarine, sour cream, cottage cheese, and plumped fruit into the drained noodles.
Whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and sugar, pour over the noodle mixture and stir until well combined.
Spread the kugel mixture into the baking dish, leveling out the top. Sprinkle cinnamon and/or other topping, over the kugel.
Bake kugel at 350 oF for about 50-60 minutes, until the center is set and the top of the kugel is lightly browned.
Remove kugel from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Good warm or cold.
Serves 6-8