Jerusalem Kugel

The world-famous Jerusalem Kugel (Kugel Yerushalmi) was invented by Lithuanian Jews, but it is made using Jewish egg noodles (lokshen) instead of grated potatoes. For Jews, kugel is a staple on the Sabbath that requires only a starchy base, eggs and fat. These casseroles are believed to have first appeared in German (Rhineland) Jewish cuisine more than 800 years ago.

In both German and Yiddish, the word kugel means something round, such as a cannonball, a bullet, or a round cake. Gastronomy historian Alexander Bely suggests that the idea of using noodles as a base for kugel may have been brought to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by Jewish immigrants from Italy. And in the 19th century, this idea travelled from Vilnius to the Holy Land – Jerusalem.

You will need:

• 4 eggs
• 300-320 g (2 c) wheat flour
• 1 tbsp. sour cream
• 1/2 c melted butter
• 3 tbsps. sugar
• juice of half a lemon
• 150 g (3/4 c) raisins
• pinch of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract

Method:

1. Make the noodles by mixing two eggs, flour and sour cream. You can also use pre-made egg noodles. Boil the noodles (freshly made noodles will be ready much faster than dried ones – in 2-4 minutes, depending on their thickness) and drain.
2. Put the drained noodles in a bowl, add the melted butter, raisins, sugar, two eggs, almond extract and lemon juice, and season with cinnamon. Mix everything well and pour into a 20×20 cm baking tin.
3. Add water to a larger baking pan and place the pan with the kugel ingredients inside. Heat the oven to 180°C and bake until the kugel is browned (about 20 minutes).

This information was shared by Alexander Bely.