Not sweet noodle kugel recipe needed

[eimac]

My father has requested a noodle kugel like his mother used to make. This means no sugar, raisins, pineapple, cornflake crumbs---something he can eat with salt and pepper. Since I don't remember my grandmother's kugel ( my mother's was always sweet and his complaints were a running family joke)
I'm not sure if I just follow the recipe for the sweet kugel but leave out the embellishments.
Is there a good recipe for what he wants?

[alwayshungrygal]

There is a very good recipe in Joan Nathan's "Jewish Cooking in America" cookbook. With spinach and cheese...I made it only once about 10 years ago, but it was really tasty. I'm not sure if that fits what you want (or if you keep kosher, it would be acceptable with your meal). I usually make my mother/grandmothers recipe with sugar/raisins/apples/pineapple which is why I haven't made the Nathan recipe again.

[biggreenmatt]

In my family, there were always two kugels made during the holidays: one sweet (brown sugar, raisins, etc.) and one pepper- appeals to both the Polish and Russian tastes in the family.

Directions can't be simpler: prep the noodles, cool and add eggs. Grease the baking pan. Season with salt, a bit of cayenne and lots of ground pepper. Mix thoroughly and into the pan. Top it with lots of paprika so you know it's savoury, then bake. Simple.

Putting in other aromatics like sweated-off onion and garlic could only help make it better.

[magiesmom]

I make this but with lots of caremelized onion.

[Diane in Bexley]

Growing up in a kosher home, it was not allowed to make a sweet, dairy noodle kugel for Shabbat, as we had either pot roast or chicken. My grandmother used to make a noodle kugel which was "fleschig" with some schmaltz or pan drippings (you can sub canola oil), sauteed onion, mushrooms, other veggies (green peppers, carrots, zuchinni, etc) and a couple of eggs. She seasoned it with salt and pepper and baked it for about 45 min till the top was golden brown. If this appeals to you, let me know and I can dig up some proportions.

[eimac]

That sounds like the ticket! I can take it from there.
Plus make one with raisins for the rest of the family!

[jvanderh]

That sounds awesome! I do have chicken fat in the freezer, but I've never made kugel. If you do find some proportions, I would love to have them.

[Diane in Bexley]

This is approximate as Grandma never wrote anythng down (neither did I):

Grease thoroughly 9X13 dish
16 oz package very wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
1 large onion, chopped in 1 in cubes
3-4 carrots, scraped, cleaned and diced in 1 in cubes
3-4 zuchinni, diced in 1 in cubes
8 oz mushrooms, button or variety of wild, cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup canola oil (I think eVOO is a little too strong), chicken schmaltz might work
3 eggs, whipped
s&p, 2 tsp freshly chopped garlic

In large frying pan, saute onions, mushrooms and all vegetables for 10-15 min till al dente. Vegetables should be about the same size so they will cook and combine evenly. Combine with seasoning, oil/fat and eggs in large bowl, fill 9X13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30-40 min till top is crusty.

[jvanderh]

Thank you!

[valerie]

I, too, make a sweet dairy kugel...cream cheese, diced peaches/apricots (but no raisins!), but this one sounds very good. Thanks for sharing!

[todao]

IMO, it isn't Kugel without the sugar, cinnamon and raisins. But you certainly can make it without those ingredients and serve it as a noodle casserole upon which salt and pepper will work just fine.