Sweet Noodle Kugel Recipe | Lake Life State of Mind (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.

And then I read in The Jewish Kitchen: Recipes and Stories from Around the World of a Hasidic rabbi, Pinchas of Koretz (in Galicia), who claimed that lokshen kugel itself symbolizes Jewish unity, since the noodles are all tangled together and are really inseparable, just like the unified Jewish people.

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.

The kugel was born in Eastern Europe as a leftover bread pastry with fat and eggs and only eight centuries ago evolved into the lokshen (noodle) kugel we know today. Rice kugels were invented in the 16th century thanks to Ottoman influences, and the popular Polish potato kugel showed up in the nineteenth century.

Water Temperature, a higher temp will cause them to break down. Noodle Temperature, not the right temp when entering the water. Agitation, too much stirring after they are added.

One of the most common reasons for mushy noodles is overcooking. Pasta, including noodles, has a relatively short cooking time compared to other ingredients typically prepared in a crockpot. If you leave the noodles in the slow cooker for too long, they will absorb too much liquid and become soft and mushy.

As Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz once said, “Jews eat lots of lokshen on Shabbat because noodles are symbolic of the unity of the people of Israel: They are so tangled that they can never be separated.” Noodle kugel may not actually be eaten by all Jews, but it has clearly reached far beyond mere Ashkenazi cuisine.

It commonly makes an appearance on the dinner table during Shavuot (along with bourekas), when it's traditional to consume dairy foods, and Shabbat because it's said that kugel resembles the manna that fell from heaven. It's the perfect side dish for a Hanukkah latke party, adding some richness to the meal.

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).

What is the English word for kugel? ›

„Kugel“: Femininum

ball bullet, pellet, shot sphere, globe bulb head thick flank roulette ball sphere shot, bowl, ball ball More translations... ball.

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.)

Central and Eastern Europe

Kugel / Origin

Central and Eastern Europe is a geopolitical term encompassing the countries in Northeast Europe, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Europe, usually meaning former communist states from the Eastern Bloc and Warsaw Pact in Europe, as well as from former Yugoslavia.

Wikipedia

Noodle kugel is a traditional baked dish that's usually served during Jewish holidays, but this version is so good, you're going to want to make it any time of the year for any occasion. It can be sweet or savory, and this one most definitely goes the savory route.

Kugel is a sweet, egg noodle casserole. The noodles are boiled and then baked with some sugar, eggs, sour cream and cottage cheese. It's our family tradition to also add raisins.

If you opt for fresh noodles (typically found cozied up in the refrigerator section of stores), seal them in an air-tight container.

Don't stir. Employ pushing, flipping, and tossing techniques instead of stirring. Stirring can cause noodles to break, as the spatula can cut them into smaller pieces. This is especially true for delicate, freshly cooked rice noodles.

Toss with a bit of oil or sauce. If you're not using the noodles immediately, toss them with a little bit of oil to prevent sticking. This will create a thin coating on the noodles, preventing them from clumping together.

Unlike spaghetti noodles, don't overcook egg noodles or they'll fall apart when stirred during rehydration. The spiral shape of egg noodles have a tendency to make them stack and nest in each other, separate best as you can to avoid large clumps.