Killer Kugel Recipes

NOODLE AND APPLE KUGEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Begin heating a large pot of water.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the apples. Cook, stirring or tossing in the pan, until they begin to color and are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• When the water comes to a boil, add salt to taste and the noodles. Cook al dente, a little firmer than you would want them if you were eating them right away. Drain through a colander and add to the pan with the apples (if using long flat noodles, cut them first with a scissors into shorter lengths). Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and toss together until the butter melts. Stir in the optional raisins. Set aside.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the sugar and beat together until the mixture is thick. Beat in the yogurt, vanilla, rum, nutmeg and about 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste. Add the noodles and apples and fold everything together. Scrape into the prepared baking dish. Push the pasta down into the egg and yogurt mixture (it will not be completely submerged, but try to cover as much as you can). Place in the oven and bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the kugel is set and the sides are browned. There will always be some noodles on top that brown and become quite hard. You can remove these from the baked dish if you wish. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

EXCITING NOODLE KUGEL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the inside of a 2 or 2 1/2-quart casserole or gratin dish.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the noodles and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain the noodles, put in a medium bowl, and toss with cottage or farmer cheese, sour cream, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and salt and pepper.
• Spoon into the buttered dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan and chives. Bake until golden and crusty on top, 35 to 40 minutes.

KUGEL MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with tulip-shaped baking cups (or standard cups). Cook noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water 6 minutes; drain. Let cool 10 minutes.
• Whisk together cheese, sour cream, 1/3 cup sugar, zest and juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk in eggs and 3 tablespoons butter. Stir in noodles and currants. Divide mixture among muffin cups. Drizzle with remaining butter; sprinkle with remaining sugar. Dollop a little marmalade over each cup.
• Bake until kugel is set and tops are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool 30 minutes before serving with more marmalade on the side.

KILLER KUGEL

Steps:

• Cook noodles according to package directions, drain and place in a 4-quart bowl.
• Put cream cheese and ½ pound butter in food processor; blend until smooth, scraping down sides. Add 1 cup sugar and process until well combined. Add sour cream, vanilla and eggs, and process until well mixed. Fold into bowl of noodles. Stir in pineapple.
• Grease a 13-by-9-inch Pyrex dish with about 1 tablespoon butter and pour in the mixture; it will almost overflow. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove from refrigerator about 1 hour before baking. Preheat oven to 350 and bake mixture for 50 minutes.
• Combine walnuts with remaining 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle on top of kugel. Dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and bake another 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into 25 pieces.