Kugel is a popular side dish in the Jewish cuisine. It is a baked pudding casserole which can be either sweet or savory. It is usually made of noodles, but can also be made from potatoes.
Of the noodle kugels most often you will see recipes that include cottage cheese and sour cream, with or without the addition of fruit.
Although my mother made the cottage cheese/sour cream kugel, she also made one we called apple noodle kugel. This one had no cheese, or sour cream, but was the one our family seemed to favor.
When I was first married I usually made this almost every Friday night with roasted chicken. My husband loved this apple kugel (he’s not big on cheese), and my repertoire in those days was kind of limited.
I no longer make it every Friday night, but we do still enjoy it occasionally.
I will serve it alongside a brisket or chicken dinner, and its sweetness balances nicely with the rest of the meal. It is often served as well with a non meat meal.
With Yom Kippur being observed this week we, like many others will be visiting with family for a postfast feast. I will be bringing my mom’s apple noodle kugel with me.
Mom’s Apple Noodle Kugel
1 pound wide egg noodles
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
juice of ½ lemon and ½ orange
1 tablespoon vanilla
½ teaspoon baking powder
6 apples, cored and peeled, sliced thin
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
½ cup golden raisins, optional
Topping
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Prepare noodles according to package directions. Beat the eggs with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and mix well. Add the salt, lemon and orange juice, vanilla and baking powder, mixing well. Add the drained noodles, melted butter, apples, and raisins if using, and stir to combine. Pour into a greased 1 and ½ quart casserole dish.
Combine the topping ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over the casserole.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until browned on top and the kugel springs back when touched.
Note: If top begins to brown too much, cover loosely with foil.
I made 1 and ½ x the recipe. It can easily be doubled as well.