Noodle Pudding a Hit at Junior’s

DEAR SOS: We love the noodle pudding at Junior’s restaurant in West Los Angeles. Could you request the recipe?

--PATRICIA

DEAR PATRICIA: Yes, and we thoroughly enjoyed the testing and tasting of the recipe in The Times Test Kitchen. It’s definitely one of the best--and moistest-- kugels tasted so far. And so easy to prepare too.

JUNIOR’S NOODLE PUDDING

1 pound wide egg noodles, cooked and drained

3 cups milk

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained

1/4 cup raisins

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup margarine, melted

Butter

Combine warm noodles, milk, eggs, sugar, pineapple, raisins, vanilla and margarine in 13x9-inch buttered baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees about 45 minutes or until set. Makes 12 servings.

Note: If more moist top is desired cover with foil while baking.

DEAR SOS: At a Greek restaurant I tasted a delicious pastry called galactoboureko, a custard-filled filo pastry. I’d love to have the recipe.

--LINDA

DEAR LINDA: This classic Greek dessert may appear to be difficult to make, but actually it’s quite a cinch if you use packaged filo dough. Just remember that filo sheets dry quickly, so be prepared to butter them as you layer them in the pan. The filling is a farina-type custard that can be served on its own, as well.

GREEK CUSTARD IN FILO

(Galactoboureko)

1/2 cup butter or margarine

6 cups milk

1 cup sugar

1 strip lemon zest

3/4 cup farina

9 eggs

1/2 pound filo dough sheets

1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted

Syrup, cooled

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add milk, sugar and lemon zest and bring to boil. Stir in farina and cook over low heat until thickened. Remove from heat. Cool. Beat eggs until light and gently add to cooled farina mixture.

Cut filo dough sheets to fit 13x9-inch baking dish. Brush bottom of pan with butter. Place 5 to 6 filo sheets in pan, brushing each with butter.

Remove lemon zest from custard and discard. Pour custard over filo layers. Place remaining filo sheets on top, again brushing each with melted butter. Tuck top filo sheets around sides.

Using sharp knife, score top filo sheets into serving-size squares, being careful not to cut into custard. Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour. Remove from oven and pour cooled Syrup over hot galactoboureko in pan. Cool. Cut along scored squares. Makes 24 servings.

Syrup

1 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

Bring water to boil. Add sugar and lemon zest and cook until syrup is thickened, about 7 to 10 minutes.

DEAR SOS: I wonder if you have a copy of the Navy bean soup served at the U.S. Senate cafeteria.

--MISS F.J.G.

DEAR MISS F.J.G.: Certainly. We’ve printed this recipe many times since 1974, when we acquired the recipe from an old Senate cafeteria menu. The recipe varies from source to source, however.

SENATE NAVY BEAN SOUP

2 cups dry navy beans

3 quarts water

1 meaty ham bone

1/2 cup cooked mashed potatoes

3 onions, minced

4 to 5 stalks celery, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup minced parsley

Salt, pepper

Lemon slices, optional

Soak beans overnight in water. Add ham bone and simmer 1 hour or until beans start to get tender. Add mashed potatoes and mix until smooth. Add onions, celery, garlic and parsley and simmer 1 hour longer or until beans are soft.

Remove ham bone, then dice meat and return to soup. Thin with hot water, if necessary. Soup should be thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon slices. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. We are unable to answer all requests. Please include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants. Send your letter with self-addressed, stamped envelope to Culinary SOS, Food Section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.

Marble slab from Chiarini and Sons