Use Your Noodle

Since my childhood, baked noodle kugel has been high on my list of favorite dishes. I love the tender, rich-tasting noodles, especially the brown, crisp bits on the top and bottom.

Best known in America as a Jewish specialty, these noodle casseroles originated in Europe. They are popular under different names in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, Russia and other Eastern European countries. Kugel is a Yiddish word derived from a German word meaning ball , referring to the casserole’s original round shape.

Delicatessen menus sometimes present kugel as noodle souffle, but it’s much heartier than a souffle and has none of a souffle’s fragility. Occasionally it is called noodle pudding. I think casserole is the best description since noodle kugel is really an easy-to-make cousin of macaroni and cheese.

In its simplest form, noodle kugel is a mixture of cooked noodles, eggs and, usually, sauteed onions. It is baked and served from its baking dish. Salt, pepper and paprika are the most common seasonings. Many cooks stir in diced cooked vegetables--broccoli, carrots, sauteed peppers, zucchini or even mixed frozen vegetables.

The most popular version in my mother’s kitchen is noodle kugel with mushrooms, our family’s customary partner for roast chicken. For a (richer) main-course kugel, she stirs in sour cream and cottage cheese.

Sweet noodle kugels are made by the same technique, but the flavorings are different. The cooked pasta is mixed with eggs, sugar and fruit, usually apples but sometimes pears, pineapple, cherries or raisins. Cinnamon or grated lemon or orange peel are added, and almonds or nuts are stirred in for festive occasions.

Like savory noodle kugels, sweet ones might also contain sour cream and cottage cheese. Certain recipes are very rich, calling for generous amounts of whipping cream, melted butter or cream cheese. Sweet kugels are served as a brunch or supper dish or as a satisfying dessert. Some people sweeten noodle and fruit kugels only slightly and serve them as a side dish.

Most noodle kugels can be refrigerated in their baking dish, ready for baking; they can also be reheated. They are simpler to prepare than macaroni and cheese because there is no need to make a cream sauce. The mixture is very flexible and can be made leaner. I sometimes substitute egg whites for some of the eggs or yogurt for sour cream.

Medium-width egg noodles are most traditional in kugel, but wide or narrow noodles work too, as do shell-shaped pasta and macaroni. For a gentle new twist, you can even use flavored pasta, like herb fettuccine, for a savory kugel or lemon-accented noodles for a sweet one.

This dish makes a great accompaniment to roast poultry or meat. For a richer variation, stir 1 cup sour cream into the noodle mixture before baking.

NOODLE KUGEL WITH SAUTEED MUSHROOMS 8 ounces medium egg noodles Boiling salted water 5 tablespoons oil or butter 1 large onion, minced 8 ounces mushrooms, quartered if small, halved and sliced if large Salt Freshly ground black pepper 3/4 teaspoon paprika 2 eggs, beaten 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, optional

Cook noodles, uncovered, in large pan boiling salted water over high heat, stirring occasionally, until nearly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer noodles to large bowl.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and saute until very tender, about 10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste and 1/4 teaspoon paprika. Saute until mushrooms are tender and onion is browned, about 10 minutes.

Add mushroom mixture, eggs and parsley to noodles and mix well. Adjust seasonings to taste. Oil 6-cup baking dish and add noodle mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, then with remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Bake at 350 degrees until set, 30 minutes. Makes 4 side dish servings.

Each serving contains about: 433 calories; 111 mg sodium; 160 mg cholesterol; 23 grams fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams protein; 0.9 gram fiber.

This light-textured macaroni casserole with sweet red peppers, zucchini and onions is a good choice for a meatless main course. Serve it with a green salad.

MACARONI AND VEGETABLE KUGEL WITH CHEESE 1/4 cup butter or oil 1 medium onion, minced 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced 2 sweet red peppers or 1 sweet red and 1 green pepper, cored and cut into small dice 2 medium zucchini, unpeeled, coarsely grated Salt Freshly ground pepper 2 cups small elbow macaroni Boiling salted water 3 eggs 2/3 cup cottage cheese 1/4 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme, crumbled 3/4 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, optional 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese or 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute 5 minutes. Add celery and saute 5 minutes. Add peppers and saute 3 minutes. Add zucchini and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir and saute over high heat until vegetables are tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.

Cook macaroni, uncovered, in large pan of boiling salted water over high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm, about 5 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer to large bowl.

Beat eggs in bowl. Whisk in cottage cheese and sour cream along with thyme, 1/4 teaspoon paprika and hot pepper sauce. Add mixture to macaroni and toss. Add vegetables and toss. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Transfer mixture to buttered, shallow 6-cup baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Bake at 400 degrees until firm, 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes 4 main course or 6 side dish servings.

Each main dish serving contains about: 472 calories; 459 mg sodium; 204 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 53 grams carbohydrates; 20 grams protein; 1.07 grams fiber.

Tender sauteed apples form a layer in the center of this nut- and raisin-studded kugel. The egg whites are beaten separately to make the kugel lighter. In the unlikely event you have leftovers, they can be cut into portions, wrapped in foil and reheated in the oven.

CINNAMON-SCENTED APPLE-NOODLE KUGEL 14 to 16 ounces medium egg noodles Boiling salted water 6 tablespoons butter or margarine 3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and sliced 6 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds 1/3 cup dark raisins 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest Dash salt 4 eggs, separated 1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook noodles in large pan boiling salted water until barely tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer to large bowl.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet. Add half of apples and saute over medium heat 5 minutes, turning once. Remove with slotted spoon. Add remaining apples to skillet and saute. Return all apples to skillet. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Saute 1 minute, tossing apples. Transfer to separate bowl.

Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in skillet over low heat. Add 3 tablespoons melted butter to noodles and mix well. Stir in nuts, raisins, lemon zest and salt.

Beat egg whites to soft peaks. Beat in remaining 4 tablespoons sugar and beat until whites are stiff but not dry. Stir egg yolks and vanilla into noodles. Stir in 1/4 of whites until blended. Fold in remaining whites.

Add half of noodle mixture to greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Top with sauteed apples in even layer. Top with remaining noodle mixture. Spread gently to cover apples. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, then with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Cover and bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until set, 20 minutes longer. Serve hot. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about: 439 calories; 153 mg sodium; 176 mg cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 59 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 0.89 gram fiber.