Cookbook:Potato Kugel

Kugel (Yiddish: קוגל kugl or קוגעל, pronounced koo-gel or ki-gel, also often referred to in the diminutive kugele, kigele) is any one of a wide variety of traditional baked side dishes or desserts. It is sometimes translated as "pudding" or "casserole". Kugels may be sweet or savory. The most common types are made from egg noodles or potatoes and often contain eggs, but there are recipes in everyday use in modern Jewish kitchens for a great diversity of kugels made with different vegetables, fruit, batters, cheese, and other flavorings and toppings. Kugel-making seems to be continually changing and evolving.

The following is a traditional potato kugel.

Ingredients

 * 8 large potatoes
 * 2 medium onions
 * ½ cup (120 ml) melted schmaltz or vegetable oil
 * 5 eggs, beaten
 * 1 tablespoon salt
 * 1 teaspoon black pepper
 * 2½ tablespoons white granulated sugar

Procedure

 * 1) Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
 * 2) Peel potatoes, cut into chunks, and place them in a food processor. Process until smooth. Do the same for the onion.
 * 3) Mix potato and onion with egg, pepper, sugar, and salt.
 * 4) Heat oil in a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) pan until it is quite hot. Add 1–2 tablespoons of the oil to the potato mixture, and mix.
 * 5) Pour the potato mixture into the pan. Bake uncovered for 1 hour.

Notes, tips, and variations

 * Replacing one or two of the potatoes with a carrot gives the kugel a nice color and a distinct flavor.
 * Some may prefer to decrease the amount of onion to one large onion.