{Sweet} Noodle Kugel Recipe - Belly Full (2024)

FAQs

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.

Kugels are a mainstay of festive meals in Ashkenazi Jewish homes, particularly on the Jewish Sabbath and other Jewish holidays or at a tish. Some Hasidic Jews believe that eating kugel on the Jewish Sabbath brings special spiritual blessings, particularly if that kugel was served on the table of a Hasidic Rebbe.

Kugel is basically the Yiddish/Jewish word for casserole. Sweet noodle kugel is typically made from eggs, noodles, sour cream, and cottage cheese, all baked inside a casserole dish.

Do You Eat Noodle Kugel Hot or Cold? While noodle kugel should be removed from the oven and cooled for at least 30 minutes after baking, it can be eaten at any temperature. Eaten warm, when just set, noodle kugel's texture is more akin to a baked mac and cheese (the extra-crunchy noodles on top might be the best part.)

Use enough water.

Pasta needs space to expand as it cooks. And the starch it releases makes the situation stickier. If there's not enough water for that starch to grow, it'll have no other choice than to make clumpy noodles.

If you use too little water and too little space, the individual noodles won't have room to separate from each other for proper cooking, and the pasta water will become too starchy, making a clumpy mess all but certain.

Food that is not allowed is called treif. Examples include shellfish, pork products and food that has not been slaughtered in the correct way, known as shechitah. A sharp knife is used and there must be one cut to the throat of the animal. This can only be practiced by a specially trained person known as a shochet..

Whether pronounced kugel (by Poles and Lithuanians), koogle (by Germans), or keegal (by Galitzianers), this dish ranks high in the pantheon of Jewish foods.

Does noodle kugel need to be refrigerated? Yes, because of the dairy, kugel must be kept in the refrigerator. Storing leftover baked kugel: Let cool completely, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

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 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 kugel is the earliest form of German glass Christmas decoration, its predecessor being the “witch ball”, an unsilvered glass sphere hung from windows to ward off evil spirits (supposedly repulsed by round shapes).

For the predominantly Ashkenazi Jewish American community, kugel is still one of the most popular holiday staples. In Israel, many families call the pastry “kigel” (pronounced kee-ghel), the Galician way. Kugel is the Lithuanian version.

Serve hot or warm, freshly baked or reheated. The kugel reheats extremely well in a 350°F oven, uncovered so the top can crisp up additionally. Reheating time depends on the size of the piece being reheated, and at what temperature the kugel is when going into the oven.

You're not stirring the pasta.

You don't need to stir pasta constantly, but stirring while cooking can help keep the individual strands or noodles separate.

Don't stir. Noodles break because your spatula cut them into bits while you're stirring. Once you add noodles into the pan, especially delicate fresh cooked rice noodles, don't use a spatula and haphazardly stir them which can cause the edge of the spatula to cut the noodles.

Egg noodles turn to mush if boiled too long. Start checking for doneness at least 1 minute early. Add a touch of oil or butter to cooked noodles to prevent sticking especially if you aren making ahead to store of if you aren't ready to be serve.

If not quite cooked right, egg noodles can either have an unwelcome harsh bite or a tendency to disintegrate.