I went there and I ain’t ever going back. To be honest, I’ve never really been a fan of a sweet noodle kugel, so it was time to amend tradition to the likes of my family and myself and BOY OH BOY is this a winner. Also, SUPER easy to make, so I’m typing up this bad boy on the eve of the 2nd night of Rosh Hashanah since you still have time to REALLY impress your friends and family this evening.
SHOPPING LIST: 2 packages egg noodles, butter, parmesan cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, 2 eggs, olive oil, salt, black pepper
As always with any casserole, brush your glass baking dish with olive oil and pop in your oven while it is pre-heating to 375 degrees so your dish can get hot while you are prepping your kugel. This will ensure that your kugel has a crisp bottom and sides!
In heavy salted boiling water, par-cook your egg noodles (about 5 minutes). Toss your noodles in olive oil after straining so they don’t stick together.
In a large bowl, crack and beat two large eggs. Add 16 oz. of cottage cheese, 4 tB. of sour cream, 1 tB. of FRESHLY CRACKED black pepper, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese. When the mixture is incorporated, add 1/2 cup of melted butter. Finally, add your par-cooked egg noodles, mix well and then dump the entire kugel mixture into your piping hot baking dish.
Finish with a generous layer of parmesan cheese (maybe another 1/2 cup), another tsp. of black pepper and a sprinkle of salt. Bake at 370 for 25 minutes, making sure to turn the baking dish so the top of your kugel browns evenly. THE CRISPY NOODLES ARE EVERYTHING. (Like I do with pizza, AND because honey is so fitting with the Jewish New Year, I would highly encourage you to enjoy this insane cacio e pepe kugel with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of red pepper flake).
This might be the first dish I’ve ever invented for the Jewish holiday that might become a staple in my house all-year-round. It’s literally like an extra crispy white baked ziti. Whatever it is, there wasn’t a bite left (that may or may not have been my doing). Enjoy and Happy New Year to all those who celebrate.
The Kitchen Koach 