Shavuot Recipe

Noodle Cheese Kugel

Noodle+Cheese+Kugel.jpg

Makes 8-10 servings . 

This is another version of a cheese kugel which I like to serve on Shavuot or at any other time. It is a simple oven to table light dessert.  

INGREDIENTS:

  • ½ pound medium egg noodles (See Note)

  • 1 tablespoon Kosher salt

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 15 ounces unsalted farmer cheese (See Note)

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature, separated

  • ¼ cup sliced blanched almonds, toasted

  • Ground cinnamon

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F. 

  2. Bring 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a medium covered pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt, all the noodles at once and stir. Boil briskly, uncovered for 3 minutes. The noodles should be undercooked. Drain, refresh with cold water and drain well again.  

  3. Grease a 9x9x2 oven proof dish with some of the melted butter. 

  4. In a large bowl mix very well the remaining butter, sour cream, sugar, farmer cheese and egg yolks.

  5. Add the noodles, and almonds, combine well.

  6. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the noodle mixture. 

  7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish. Smooth the top, dust with cinnamon and bake for 45 minutes.

NOTE:

Egg noodles are easily available. I use the Manischewitz  brand, which comes in ¾ pound packages.

I use Friendship unsalted farmer cheese, which comes in 7.5 ounce packages.

Cheese Kugel

Cheese Kugel.jpg

Makes 9 servings.

This is a traditional Eastern European dessert which I often serve on Shavuot when it is customary to eat dishes made with cheese. It has a touch of sweetness and is very light.

It can be eaten cold, warm or at room temperature. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • ½ pound medium egg noodles (See Note)

  • 1 tablespoon Kosher salt

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 15 ounces unsalted farmer cheese (See Note)

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • ½ cup milk

  • Grated rind of one orange

  • ½ cup orange juice

  • ½ cup seedless golden raisins

  • ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature, separated

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.

  2. Bring 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a medium covered pot. Add I tablespoon salt, all the noodles at once and stir. Boil briskly, uncovered for 4 minutes. The noodles should be undercooked. Drain, refresh with cold water and drain well, again.

  3. Grease a 9x9x2 oven proof dish with some of the butter.

  4. In a large bowl mix the remaining butter with the farmer cheese,  sugar, milk, orange zest, orange juice, raisins, almonds and egg yolks.  Add noodles and combine well.  Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into noodle mixture.

  5. Transfer mixture to the prepared dish. Smooth the top and bake for 50 minutes.

NOTE:

Egg noodles are easily available. I use the Manischewitz brand.

I use Friendship unsalted farmer cheese. They come in 7.5 ounce packages.

 
 

Ricotta Flan with Raspberry Sauce

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

I like to serve this light dessert with an easy-to-make raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries.  You can bake it a day in advance and refrigerate it.  It is wonderful warm, cold, or at room temperature.  This recipe first appeared in my cookbook, Helen Nash's New Kosher Cuisine.

Flan

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
• 1 cup blanched almonds
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Grated zest of 2 lemons
• One 15-ounce container ricotta cheese, at room temperature
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting the flan
• Fresh raspberries, for garnish

 

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 10 x 1½ inch flan dish flan dish with the butter.

2. Roast the almonds in a toaster oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes, until golden. Cool. Finely grind them in a food processor.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, adding the sugar gradually until well combined. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, ricotta, and almonds. Mix well.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the center feels slightly springy to the touch. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients

• One 12-ounce (340 g) package unsweetened frozen raspberries, defrosted
• 1 tablespoon Cognac (optional)
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, or to taste

 

Preparation

Puree the raspberries in a blender until smooth. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve. Push the solids through the sieve with the back of a spoon to obtain as much puree as possible. Stir in the Cognac. Sweeten to taste with sugar.

To serve: Spoon the raspberry sauce on individual plates and place slices of the flan on top. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and garnish with fresh raspberries.