I was definitely in a pasta state of mind over the weekend..
First with making a huge pot of Bolognese sauce I served with fresh made pappardelle pasta (then some angel hair the next day for yummy leftovers) but this too..
I had never attempted or ever even eaten Kugel, or noodle pudding, before but I’ve always seen it at some of the local delis and bagel shops here in New York..
But after that first night of carbing out on pasta with the fresh pappardelle & bolognese I realized the next morning that all that pasta I had leftover soaked up a bunch of liquid, got a little soft and very stuck together..
Not wanting to throw it away and waste it I started ransacking the house and my brain for what to do..
This is what I came up with..
Using a mix of light cream cheese, Siggi’s vanilla yogurt, cream, milk, sugar and some spices—I buttered a baking dish and mixed and tossed it all together with the slightly overcooked pappardelle I had leftover, covered it in foil and began baking..
Always remembering how I never thought noodle pudding looked appetizing when I saw it, I decided to dress mine up by mixing together a batch of streusel topping from scratch..
After baking for a bit, you remove the foil, sprinkle the entire top with the streusel and I finished it with a tiny bit of added cinnamon dusted across it before back into the oven to finish..
I was worried whether my sweetie or I would like it but once we dug in I was surprised to find out how much I truly enjoyed it..
Definitely a hearty dessert with the fresh pappardelle, cheese & sugar filling you up but also exceedingly tasty too..
I definitely will be making this again for family and friends; and I hope you’ll try it out to, because it is oh so “Definitely Delish”
“Sweet Lokshen Kugel”
Ingredients:
FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING:
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1-1/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/2 teaspoon pink salt
1 1/4 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
FOR THE KUGEL:
2 12-oz bag wide egg noodles (or fresh made pasta–I used pappardelle myself)
4 large eggs
One 8-oz container vanilla yogurt
One 8-oz package light cream cheese, softened (microwave for 15-20 seconds to soften)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup of milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix
OPTIONS:
I used more pasta overcooked & leftover from the night before so use additional sugar, cream, vanilla or streusel topping to cover if necessary (used a 18x11 inch pan)
Directions:
FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING:
Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, mix until no lumps of brown sugar remain. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture has a clumpy, crumbly texture. Refrigerate until ready to use.
FOR THE KUGEL:
Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (I use 2 teaspoons salt for 3 quarts water). Cook the noodles for 6 to 8 minutes, or according to package instructions, until tender. Drain well.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the yogurt and softened cream cheese and whisk to combine. Add the half & half, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon, and whisk until completely smooth.
Spread the cooked noodles evenly in the prepared baking dish. Pour the custard mixture evenly over top. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
Remove and discard the foil. The custard should be just set. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top, making sure to cover all the noodles. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes more, until the streusel topping is crisp.
Let cool for about 20 minutes, then cut into squares and serve.
Notes:
Make Ahead:
The kugel and topping can be assembled and stored separately in the fridge up to a day ahead of time, and then baked before serving. (The kugel with the streusel topping may also be fully cooked a day ahead of time and reheated, however the texture will be denser than if baked fresh.
To reheat, cover with foil and place in a 325°F oven for 25 minutes; remove and discard the foil, and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until warm throughout and crisp on top.)