Jewish Comfort Food: Noodle Kugel

Thanksgiving eats: Kugel's on the right, but where's the turkey? (Photo by Nagisa Kamae)

With appetizers, side dishes and amazing desserts, turkey sometimes seems beside the point at Thanksgiving. This year, our bird was extra large at 22 lbs. for only nine people (plenty of leftovers!). Plates filled quickly with side dishes: cornbread stuffing, homemade cranberry sauce, mashed sweet potatoes, green beans with almonds, cranberry orange nut bread, salad, and noodle kugel--not to mention an amazing apple pie a la mode for dessert (we skipped the pumpkin pie!).

The kugel was my contribution, along with a strange-looking menurkey--a menorah shaped like a turkey--to commemorate Hanukkah arriving on the same day as Thanksgiving, supposedly for the first time since 1888!

Our menurkey! (Photo by Nagisa Kamae)

Kugel, a German word that means "sphere" or "ball," is a pudding-like casserole that is usually made of noodles or potatoes, eggs and dairy products. The noodle versions--called lokshen kugel for the Yiddish word for noodles--can be savory or sweet--and there are many variations, with heated debates erupting, often at the holiday table, over whose kugel is "the best"! I won't weigh in on that. I've tasted amazing kugel--and, like so many recipes, the last one I ate is usually the best.

Depending on the amount of sugar you add, and whether or not you use raisins or other fruit, a kugel can be almost dessert-like or have just a hint of sweetness and work well with a meal. For Jews who keep kosher and don't want to mix milk and meat, it might serve as the focal point of a brunch, along with bagels and lox. At our Thanksgiving, however, it worked just fine as a side. Leftovers, if any, are excellent for breakfast!

Here's the recipe I made, adapted from one I found on the food blog, Tori Avey. It uses ricotta instead of cottage cheese (which some will consider a sacrilege), and includes dried cranberries and raisins. I used only raisins, but you could add cranberries or other dried fruits, such as apricots or apples. I softened the fruit in a mixture of grape juice and water instead of the rum the recipe called for, but feel free to use the alcohol, which will mostly boil off in cooking. For those who prefer a less dessert-like kugel, the fruit is optional, and the amount of sugar can be reduced.

Holiday Kugel

(Adapted from Tori Avey recipe)

About 15 servings

1 cup raisins (optional)

1/2 cup apple or grape juice (optional)

1/2 cup water (optional)

12 oz. wide egg noodles

1 cup cream cheese, softened*

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

6 large eggs

2 cups sour cream*

1 cup ricotta*

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:

3/4 cup cornflakes, crushed

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or more, to taste)

1 to 2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

*You can substitute low-fat versions of any of these, though nonfat isn't recommended.

Directions

1. Preset oven to 350 degrees F. Put dried fruit, juice and water (or rum) in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then simmer on low for about 15 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

2. Cook noodles until soft, taking care not to overcook. Rinse in cool water and drain well.

3. Using a mixer, food processor or blender, mix together (on low to medium speed for mixer, pulsing for food processor or blender) cream cheese and sugars until well combined.

4. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Add sour cream, ricotta, butter, vanilla, cinnamon and salt, and mix until smooth.

5. Combine noodles with the liquid mixture. Add raisins, if using. 

6. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Pour mixture into the dish making sure to spread it evenly on the dish. At this point, if you're having guests later in the same day or the next, it's possible to cover the uncooked kugel and let it sit overnight, baking the next day. Some kugel recipes actually recommend this step.

7. If you're using the cornflake topping, crush the cereal with a rolling pin. Then add cinnamon, sugar and nuts, if using. Sprinkle evenly on top of the casserole. Some variations call for using crushed graham crackers instead of cornflakes. You can also just use cinnamon and sugar--or no topping at all!

8. Bake for 60 minutes, turning halfway through. The kugel should be golden brown on top and the center should be firm. Let the kugel rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing. It can be warmed in a low oven before serving.

If you've got a family recipe for kugel you wish to share, please feel free. I make no claims to making "the best," as undoubtedly the one your mother or grandmother served will trump mine any day! And that's as it should be. 

Raisins, Pecans and Rye--Oh My!

As you have probably gathered by now, I've got a bit of a rye bread obsession. I doubt there's any treatment other than to keep trying new recipes. Here's one for Raisin Pecan Rye Bread from another of my favorite baking books,  "The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion."  I've been seeking a bread that approximates the crusty artisan loaves I see at local farmer markets and bakeries for $5 or $6 apiece. Having gone through the process of kneading a rather sticky dough and struggling to incorporate generous amounts of raisins, currants and nuts into the mix without accidentally losing my wedding ring in the process, I can understand why the loaves are a bit pricey.

Not to intimidate any novice bakers, but I would agree with one comment in response to the online version of the recipe: this is definitely not a beginner's bread! But, as the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding (or, in this case, the bread!). The sweet, nutty combination of raisins, rye and toasted pecans is addictive. From my standpoint, toasted (or not) for breakfast (or lunch, dinner or snack) with butter or jam, slathered with cream cheese, peanut butter or, as the KAF Web notes suggest, an assertive cheese like Roquefort, it's hard to beat. Another variation of this bread, which I'm sure I'll attempt soon, is for Raisin-Rye Crisps, a cracker-like version--also quite pricey in the upper-crust groceries that sell them around here.

The bread recipe calls for a biga, a starter created in much less time than those used for traditional sourdough breads or rye breads--for example, the rye sour I wrote about previously. The biga in this recipe sits overnight, but if you allow it to ferment longer, it would add more sourness to the bread.

Biga just beginning...

Biga getting bigger

The recipe comes from the book and online recipes, which vary slightly from each other. Note that KAF recipes include both weights and measures for most ingredients. Weighing ingredients, particularly flour, isn't a bad idea, although I often don't do it. The reason it's probably wise is that everyone measures ingredients a bit differently, whereas weights are fairly uniform. I'm more strict about this for flour than for liquids but am not so much of a stickler that I wouldn't round off 1 7/8 ounces flour to 2 ounces.

Raisin Pecan Rye Bread

(Makes one large loaf, about 16 servings)

Biga

1/8 teaspoon instant yeast
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (2 5/8 ounces) cool water


Dough

1 1/4 teaspoons salt (the book version calls for 1 1/2 teaspoons, but I prefer less sodium)
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 7/8 ounces) medium or light rye flour*
1/2 cup (1 7/8 ounces) pumpernickel*
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) unbleached, all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (6 ounces) lukewarm water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter, slightly softened
1/2 cup (2 ounces) chopped pecans (I toasted them first)
1 cup (5 ounces) currants or raisins (I used a combination of both)


Make the biga by stirring together the yeast, flour and water. The dough will be very stiff and dry. Place it in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a towel, and let it rest at room temperature overnight, or, as I did, for about eight hours during the day. Again, letting it rest longer, will up the acidity and sourness factor.

Mixing biga with rye and white flours using a dough hook

The next day--or later the same day--combine the biga with the remaining ingredients (except the fruit and nuts) in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix to form a shaggy, sticky dough. I used the mixer, first combining the ingredients using the paddle attachment for a minute or two, then using my dough hook to knead until the dough started to pull away from the sides of the metal bowl. Knead the dough until smooth, though it will still be quite sticky. Place it in a lightly greased bowl and allow it to rest for 1 hour. It will become puffy, though possibly not double its original size (mine actually did, I think).

Kneading by hand

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, gently deflate it, and knead in the nuts and fruit. I found this a bit tricky--a cup of fruit and half cup of nuts is a lot to incorporate into a dough that's so sticky. It helped to dust the dough and kneading board with a bit of flour, adding fruit and nuts a handful at  time and kneading a little after each addition. Some of the fruit ended up falling off the edges of the board, but finally, my fruit-speckled dough was ready to be turned into loaves (I doubled the recipe to make two!).

Risen rye before raisins

Shape the dough into a slightly flattened ball and place on a greased sheet pan or round 9-inch cake pan. Cover with some lightly greased plastic wrap or a proof cover. Let the loaf rise for about 90 minutes until puffy. I delayed the process by refrigerating the covered loaves to proof overnight, then allowing a few more minutes to sit at room temperature in the morning. I also brushed the loaves with a little water and sprinkled sesame and poppy seeds on top.

Raisin rye before baking

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the bread for about 50 to 55 minutes, tenting it lightly with foil during the final 15 minutes. It's important to keep your eyes on the bread at the end, as it does brown rather quickly. I also recommend turning the bread once about halfway through the cycle to make sure it browns evenly. The interior of the bread should register 190-195 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. As I don't have one of these (yes, it's on the list!), I used the old thump on the bottom of the loaf technique, plus my trained eyeballs, to figure out that the bread was done.






*Note: I used KAF White Rye for the first and KAF Medium Rye for the second, as I didn't have any pumpernickel. I would probably try a dark whole-grain rye such as Bob's Red Mill organic brand next time--or get the real thing via mail order from King Arthur Flour.

Raisin ryes fresh from the oven

Calories & Points:

According to KAF, each slice of the bread (if you cut it into 16 generous slices of 79 grams each) has about 236 calories, or, if you're going by the Weight Watchers Points Plus system, 6 points. However, as I like my bread toasted thin and crisp, I halve that amount--then eat two slices!


Tinkering:

• Check out some of the suggestions for the recipe online. I'm eager to try "pammyowl's" gluten-free suggestions with buckwheat flour, cornstarch and an egg to satisfy my gluten-phobic friends and relatives. Stay tuned.
• Try substituting olive oil or a nut oil for the butter. Instead of (or in addition to) currants or raisins, use dried cranberries or cherries.
• Use hazelnuts or walnuts or a combination of nuts in place of the pecans.
• As rye and caraway go so well together, add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds to the dough and/or sprinkle some on top.
• Another idea is to use George Greenstein's rye sour in place of the biga for more pronounced sour tang. You would probably need to reduce the amount of added water--or add more flour--as the sour is quite wet.

Zucchini Muffins: 2 Versions

Back in the Dark Ages (ok, the mid-'70s), I was living in San Francisco's Richmond District, scraping by on a temp worker's salary and trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. To while away date-less evenings, I often baked something sweet to share with my roommates. One of the popular items of the day was zucchini bread. The version I remember making was a dark, somewhat dense loaf with the bright green zucchini bits subdued amid the raisins and nuts.

Over the weekend, in a nostalgic mood, I decided to try making more portable versions of the loaves in the form of muffins. I first tried a recipe for Zucchini Lemon Muffins from one of my favorite cookbooks of late, "The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion." I pretty much followed the recipe, but then amped up the sweet and crunch factors with a streusel topping (brown sugar, nuts and cinnamon). The result was a bit too sweet for my taste, so I would probably nix the streusel next time, but for those with a sweet tooth, I have included it in the following recipe, along with the changes I made to the original recipe in parentheses.

Zucchini Lemon Muffins (Version #1)

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup whole wheat)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Grated peel of 1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk (I used skim)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup packed, shredded, unpeeled zucchini

Streusel:

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon peel in a large bowl. Stir in walnuts and raisins. In a smaller bowl, combine eggs, milk and oil. Make a well in the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients. Stir until barely combined. Gently fold in zucchini. Combine brown sugar, nuts and cinnamon for the topping, if using.

Spoon into greased 12-cup muffin tin(s). Sprinkle streusel on top, if using. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins spring back when you press them with your fingertips. Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes on a rack, then  turn out of the pans to finish cooling.

Notes:

King Arthur says the recipe makes 12 muffins, but my recipe made 16.
Each had about 6 Weight Watchers points with the streusel. Subtract a point if you don't use it. Calories: Approximately 210 each with streusel, 192 without.

Zucchini-Carrot Muffins (Version #2)

Mini-muffins, fresh from the oven

After my husband, who is trying to lose a few lbs, complained about how sugary my muffins were, I decided to try coming up with a lighter, less sweet version. I halved the oil and added homemade applesauce (super easy to make with peeled, cored apples boiled until soft in a little water, then mashed with a potato masher) to replace the oil I left out. I also cut the calorie-laden nuts and raisins in the King Arthur recipe, replaced the lemon zest with orange, half the zucchini with shredded carrots, and used egg substitute and egg whites in place of regular eggs. I halved the salt as well and used a cup of Trader Joe's gluten-free flour in place of one cup of flour and switched the sweeteners a bit. The result was a tender, lighter-colored muffin with the bright taste of orange shining through. I put most of the batter in mini-muffin tins to reduce the calorie and point count even more. Microwaved for breakfast with a bit of low-sugar apricot jam, these hit the spot!

Ingredients:

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup gluten-free flour (or flour of your choice)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Grated peel of one orange
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup honey
2 egg whites
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 2 more egg whites)
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup shredded carrots

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix flours, sugars, baking powder, salt, cinnamon (if using) and orange peel until well incorporated in a large bowl. Add raisins and nuts. Mix remaining ingredients, except zucchini and carrot, in small bowl. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and briefly mix together. Gently fold in the grated zucchini and carrots.

Spoon into greased regular and/or mini-muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes for the regular-sized muffins, 15-20 for the minis. As muffins are light in color, you may need to check to make sure they're browned enough. I took mine out too early and put back to bake for a few minutes more. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then finish cooling on a rack.

Notes: 

Makes about 16 regular muffins or 48-50 minis. Each mini has about 44 calories and 1 Weight Watchers Plus point, while the larger ones have about 126 calories each and 4 points.

You could easily freeze these in air-tight freezer bags and warm up in the microwave later. Most muffins fare better warm than cold, and lower-fat muffins are even less tender tasting when cold, so warming them up really makes the difference between tender and tough. Make sure not to overheat, however. Just a few seconds in the microwave is enough. A minute or so and you've got something not only scorching but terminally inedible.