Yield: 8 servingsTime: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 servingsTime: 45 minutes
Family Journey
Jerusalem and Eastern Europe
Brooklyn, NY
This recipe comes from cookbook author Chanie Apfelbaum’s father who grew up in Jerusalem, where this dish, known as kugel Yerushalmi in Hebrew, is a staple. Made with egg noodles that are tossed in a caramelized mixture of oil and sugar and seasoned with lots of black pepper, this recipe yields a kugel that’s the epitome of Yerushalmi comfort food. While most are baked, Chanie’s father fries his, which results in a crust that’s so deeply crisp and caramelized, people will fight over it.
Find more of Chanie’s recipes, including a savory pomegranate roast and a plush bundt cake and read about her family in “Cookbook Author Chanie Apfelbaum Brings a Playful Spirit to Sukkot.”
Ingredients
- 12 oz. fine or wide egg noodles (Chanie prefers fine)
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh, coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs
Preparation
Step 1
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions. Rinse and drain well. Return to the pot and toss with 1 tablespoon of oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
Step 2
In a heavy skillet over medium heat, combine sugar and ½ cup of the oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and begins to bubble, turning a deep, amber color, around 10-15 minutes. Pay close attention to the sugar, stirring as needed, to ensure it doesn’t burn.
Step 3
Working quickly, pour the caramelized sugar over the cooked noodles and stir to combine. Let the noodle mixture cool until warm, about 10 minutes.
Step 4
Whisk the eggs, pepper, and salt to combine. Pour over the noodles and stir to incorporate. In a 10”, heavy bottomed frying pan, heat the remaining oil until very hot (but not smoking), swirling the pan to ensure it coats all sides.
Step 5
Scrape egg-noodle mixture into the pot and smooth it into an even layer. Fry over high heat for 5-6 minutes to develop a crust. Once set, run an offset spatula along the edges to loosen the kugel and carefully invert the kugel onto a large plate (note: ensure the diameter of the plate is larger than the pan and wear oven mitts to prevent burns). Slide it back into the pan on the second side, then let it fry for another 5-6 minutes, until a golden crust forms and the kugel is deeply caramelized and fully set.
Step 6
Slide the kugel out onto a large serving platter. Serve while still warm or at room temperature.
