Saturday, August 25, 2007


Every week, Ruth at "Once Upon A Feast" from Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada) organizes an event that takes place on Fridays. It's called "Presto Pasta Nights" (see infos and rules). The 26th edition (six months of existence) is already on it's way and as you have maybe guessed, it's all about pasta!

Her aim is to host a weekly round-up of the recipes that we, foodbloggers, have created/made and want to share with others via her great blog. What an awesome idea, thanks!!!

For my fourth participation, I decided to contribute to the round-up with a "Noodle Kugel" that was once served at the American Embassy in Rome by Sheila Rabb Weidenfeld, former White House Press Secretary to Betty Ford (wife of President Gerald R. Ford)...

A "Noodle Kugel" is a Jewish noodle (although a matzah, zucchini, carrot and potato version also exists - see recipe) pudding/casserole also know under the name of "Lokshen Kugel". It is a qintessential American-Jewish dish that can be either sweet or savory.

Kugels (meaning "ball" or "globe" in German) have a Germanic (Bavari
an) as well as Alsatian (France) origin. In the old times, they were called "Schalet" and often filled with apples. The first ones were originally made with bread, but noodles soon started to get used as a replacement. It contributed to that speciality's ongrowing popularity and soon after other ingredients such as eggs, milk and cottage cheese were added for improvement. The Eastern European immigrants brought their own version/recipes to the US and then, it turned into the "kugel" which is now made from coast to coast.

~ Noddle Kugel ~

Recipe by Joan Nathan, "Jewish Cooking In America" and slightly adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Yields 4-6 servings.

350g Uncooked broad noodles/lokshen
2 Cups (500g) Quark
2 Cups (500ml) milk

1/3 Cup (83g) Unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 Tsp Ground cinnamon

1 Tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 Cup Castor sugar (+ 2 Tbs for the topping)
3 Eggs (~53g)

1 Tsp Salt
1 Cup (250g) Yoghurt
1/4 Cup (45g) Raisins

1/4 Cup (30g) Dried cranberries
1/4 Cup (30g) Chopped cashew nuts


3. Combine together the quark, milk, butter, 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, salt, yoghurt, raisins and cranberries.
4. Fold in the cooked noodles.
5. Place in a greased 23 x 30 centimeter (9 x 12-inch) baking pan.
6. Sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar.
7. Cover with the chopped cashew nuts.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to one hour or until th
e kugel is firm.
9. Serve warm.

I use tagliatelle or fettucine pasta. I took 350g, but the recipe asked for 250g.
Instead of quark, you can use cottage cheese, like in the original recipe.
You can replace the castor sugar by light or dark brown sugar, if you wish.
I used cranberries and for this kugel, but you can take any other dried fruits of your choice (dried apricots were used in the original recipe).

The recipe calls for slivered almonds, I replaced them by cashew nuts.

Serving suggestions:
Serve as a main dish/dairy meal with some fruit puree (plum, apricot, apple sauce, etc...) or oven-roasted fruits, as a side dish with a fish or as a dessert.
You can also eat the kugel at room temperature, although I recommend
you to serve it while still warm...


  1. Quand j'arrive chez toi je me dirige tout de suite vers la recette puis je lis ton texte d'introduction. J'avoue qu'aujourd'hui j'ai relu deux fois les ingrédients ! Wawou quel mélange de saveurs ! avec tout ça je craque moi.

  2. Great post and wonderful looking kugel. My personal favorite of Joan Nathan's is also from Jewish Cooking in America. It's the North Shore Chicago Hadassah's Lick-your Fingers Kugel. There are no words to describe just how good it is. Page 284!

    Thanks for sharing this one with Presto Pasta Nights.

  3. This is why I love reading foodie blogs - I keep getting introduced to new foods! I love your "nudle" kugel! Plus it comes with a catchy name ;-)

  4. sacré plat et qui est une fois de plus très original
    il a l'air très bon et très copieux aussi
    merci pour cette nouvelle recette qui sort des sentiers battus

  5. ton plat est super appétissant!! passes un excellent week end!! biises micky

  6. hummm que ca a l'air delicieux !!! A tout bientot !! Bises,

  7. Ca a l'air très bon et c'est surtout très original!
    Bon week-end!

  8. MINOUCHKA: Merci pour ce compliment! Je suis contente de savoir que mes recettes te plaisent...

    RUTH DANIELS: Thanks, Ruth! I have bookmarked that recipe since long. I'm going to try it one of those days. No wonder it's to die for with all that butter ;-P...

    WOKANDSPOON: Thanks for the very kind comment! Me too! Foodblogs introduce you to new culinary horizons...

    SAB: Merci! Ton commentaire me fait vraiment plaisir. C'est toujours une joie pour moi de pouvoir partager des recettes méconnues...

    MICKYMATH: Merci! Toi aussi! Bises...

    CORINNE: Merci, Corinne!
    Je t'ai envoyé un mail, mais peut-être n'as-tu pas pu le lire... En tout cas, merci pour votre belle carte! Je l'ai a-do-rée... Bises et à très bientôt!

    CHRIS: Merci :-D! Bon dimanche!

    OUM KOULTHOUM: Merci beaucoup!

  9. Bonjour rosa,
    Je connaissais le kugel version salé pour y avoir goûté mais pas celui en version sucré:)
    Ça l'Air bien appétissant ,surtout la dernière photo!

  10. This looks delicious! I'm glad you had a nice time on your holiday.


  11. I must say I am very happy to discover your blog. Are you French? I didn't know this recipe at all and I find it very interesting. I am sure I'll do it very soon. I like to test knew things like this!

  12. Je d�couvre encore une nouvelle sp�cialit�. Avec ces �pices, je suis certaine d'aimer.
    Bon dimanche.

  13. Mmhm !! Tu me fais vraiment totalement halluciner d'un point de vue photographie ... C'est dément ! Faudrait que je te prenne comme photographe ! :D

    Bravo pour cette recette, ça a l'air vraiment ... SALIVANT :)


  14. I've been wanting to make that! It looks so yummy!

  15. Excellent plat! Et puis ton post me permet de découvrir pleins de nouveaux blogs...super!

  16. I haven't had kugel for years.
    My best friends bubby used to make it with broccoli. We used to sneak the leftovers from Friday dinner right out of the fridge. We didn't care, it was delicious!
    Thanks for the memory - and the recipe!

  17. AWOZ: Merci! Et c'est délicieux....

    PAZ: THanks very much, Paz!

    VENI: Thanks for your visit and kind comment! I'm very pleased to hear that you like my blog and that you find that recipe interesting... No, I'm not French, but Swiss! Have fun testing this recipe!

    HÉLÈNE: Contente de t'avoir fait découvrir l'univers des kugels! Bises...

    ERYN: Wahou, ton commentaire me fait extrêmement plaisir bien que je sais que mes photos ne sont rien comparé à ce que font d'autres bloggeurs! Je veux bien une assistante ;-P... Merci! Bises!

    SHER: Thanks! Now, you have no reason not to make a kugel...

    CARJA: Merci et de rien!

    DAYNA: Thanks for your visit and kind comment, Dayna! The vegetable/savory version is also delicious! Hot or cold, I love it... Cheers!

  18. Aw Rosa, ow do I like Kugel and I was introduced to it when I came to the US. Think of it I haven't had it this holiday season yet. Your version looks spectacular!