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Kugel Yerushalmi
Peppery caramelised noodle pudding
Kugel Yerushalmi (קוגל ירושלמי): peppery caramelised thin-noodle kugel for Shabbat
In the Haredi neighbourhoods of Jerusalem, Mea Shearim and Geula above all, kugel Yerushalmi comes out of the oven after a long night's bake and is sliced at Shabbat morning kiddush. Thin noodles are coated in dark caramel made from sugar and oil, then bound with eggs and plenty of black pepper, so every bite is sweet, sticky and hot at once. It is served warm in wedges with pickled cucumbers, often beside cholent. The classic mistake is a pale caramel: it must be the colour of strong tea before the noodles go in, or the kugel tastes flat and sugary. Chef's tip: stir the caramel into the drained noodles while both are still hot, so it coats them instead of setting in lumps.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb thin egg noodles
- 2 tsp salt
- 7 oz granulated sugar
- ¾ cup sunflower oil
- 5 eggs
- 2 tsp black peppercoarsely ground
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and oil a 24 cm round tin or deep ovenproof pan.
Step 2: Cook 1 ⅛ lb thin egg noodles in salted boiling water until just tender, drain well and return to the hot pot.
6 minStep 3: In a heavy pan heat ¾ cup sunflower oil and 7 oz granulated sugar over a medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns a deep amber caramel. Watch closely in the last minute: it goes from amber to burnt fast.
10 minStep 4: Carefully pour the hot caramel over the noodles (it will spit) and stir until every strand is coated and glossy brown. Leave for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
10 minStep 5: Beat 5 eggs with 1 tsp salt and 2 tsp black pepper, then mix thoroughly into the noodles.
Step 6: Press into the tin and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, until deep brown and firm, with crisp edges. For Shabbat it can instead go into a 200°F oven overnight after the first hour.
90 minStep 7: Rest for 10 minutes, then turn out and cut into wedges. Serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kugel Yerushalmi take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of granulated sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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