During the progressive era, many Jewish people immigrated to the United States from Europe. Kugel comes from German word that has come to mean a baked casserole or pudding.
In Yiddish kugel means and refers generically to dishes made variously with noodles, bread, rice and potatoes.
Noodle kugel is a type of pudding made with noodles that is served with the main course or as dessert. Quite often, it is made with raisins or apples.
In Jewish-American families with roots in Eastern Europe, particularly in Russia, Poland, Lithuania and Romania, no Jewish meal – from brunch to midnight snack to wedding banquet – is complete without a big heavy painful of noodle kugel.
In practice, though, they are often served alongside meat dishes, even though they are sweet. Certain other Eastern Europe kugels, like Czech Noodle and Apple Soufflé and Hungarian Cheese-Noodle Dessert are reserved exclusively for dessert.
In keeping with the kosher separation of meat and diary products there are dairy and nondairy kugels.
When served with meat dishes, they’re made with eggs, chicken or goose fat (not butter), sugar and raisins and candied fruit or fresh fruits, such as apples and pears.
Dairy versions include butter, cottage cheese and/or sour cream.
Noodle Kugel
