This is the noodle kugel your Bubbe made, if your history is thusly inclined. (And if it is not then the combination of the words kugel and Bubbe in one sentence may have sounded quite peculiar to you). Suffice it to say this is the stuff of Jewish grandmothers: a noodle “pudding” that is really a baked noodle casserole, bound by as much dairy and love as you could possibly whirl together and pack between noodles in your baking dish.
There are three types of Bubbes in this world: the ones who top their kugel with sweet graham crackers, those who make a crunchy cornflake crust and then those (few) who do not make kugel at all. (I do not judge the non-makers harshly, though: perhaps they take their little ones on great imaginary mathematical adventures, or teach them to handily whomp opponents at gin rummy.)
Someday I will be both Bubbe #1 and Bubbe #2. The third type of Bubbe is out of my realm: I will never see math as a wonderful adventure and I will certainly not ever recover from the ease and speed with which my mother and grandmother ended our card games.
This recipe is for my inner Bubbe #1. To be clear, I have no intention of becoming a grandmother any time soon– for one thing, I (and my children) are far too young. For another, I had to say that, because my kids are reading this. No, I am offering this recipe for all those Bubbes-in-training, ranging in age from 12 to 95, both male and female, who would like to be able to throw together a killer noodle kugel.
Make this to break-the-fast, or to serve at a brunch Or a shower! (I did not just say that, kids.) To some it is a side dish, perfectly at home with fried chicken or at a barbecue, and to others it is dessert. However and whenever you serve it, this is sweet, rich, creamy noodles, and that’s plenty good enough for me.
| Servings 12 | |
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- 6 large eggs
- 16 ounces light sour cream
- 8 ounces Neufchatel (light cream cheese)
- 16 ounces 1% cottage cheese
- 1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch ground nutmeg
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- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook the noodles according to the least time suggested on the package directions; drain but do not rinse.
- Place the eggs in a food processor and pulse briefly. Add the sour cream, Neufchatel, cottage cheese, pineapple, ¾ cup of the sugar, vanilla and ½ teaspoon of the salt; run the machine until the mixture is smooth. Toss with the cooked noodles and transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Combine the remaining 2 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, cinnamon and nutmeg: work the mixture with your finger tips until the liquid is evenly distributed. Sprinkle over the noodles.
- Bake 1 hour, until golden and bubbly.
| 400 calories | 16g protein | 51g carbohydrates | 15g fat | 8g saturated fat | 468mg sodium |
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