Looking for really good potato kugel recipe

Tamiri

Tue, Aug 19 2008, 1:02 pm

What is "mushy" kugel vs. "non mushy"? I don't really make potato kugel, but maybe I should try it. What blade do you use: the big steel blade that is standard with a processor or a smaller one which will chop less fine? What about grated potatoes- do they not make a good kugel? Or do they have to be pulverized before mixing?
Thanks.

OldYoung

Wed, Aug 20 2008, 9:31 am

I like to use the 's' blade of my food processor for kugel so that the potatoes are in tiny chunks, almost like pureed. I don't like them grated because then the potatoes are stringy. The kugel comes out moist, but not too mushy. (I'm not even sure what qualifies as mushy or non-mushy in the first place!) My recipe is pretty simple; it's almost exactly like the potato kugel in KBD.

8 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
2-3 small onions, cut into quarters
5 eggs
1 T sugar
salt (I forgot the exact meas. but I can get for anyone who'd like)
pepper (I forgot the exact meas. but I can get for anyone who'd like)
1/2 c oil

Mix eggs sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Process onions (like I mentioned above) and add to mixture. Process potatoes, drain excess liquid if necessary, and add to mixture. (Mix in quickly, so that the potatoes don't turn orange... and the kugel doesn't turn gray.) Add oil and mix. Pour into 9x13 pan. Bake at 425 for 1 hr and 15 minutes, or until top is (kind of golden) brown.

I actually pour the recipe into 3 4x8 aluminum pans and freeze.

OldYoung

Wed, Aug 20 2008, 9:52 am

Good luck! When I passed this recipe on to a friend, I told her to put the potatoes in the processor and pulse a few times first, so that she can find a consistency that she's comfortable with. I found that with this recipe, if the potatoes are totally pureed, then the kugel will be a gluey mush. (Maybe that's what mushy kugel is? It's kind of gross though.) I let the processor go for a few seconds until the potatoes are chopped small, drain the potatoes while they're still in the bowl of the processor (I hold them back with my hand and gently squeeze the water out), and then add to the mixture and mix. Hope they taste good! Wink

Fabulous

Wed, Aug 20 2008, 11:16 am

Mushy potato kugel is not a gluey mess, at least good mushy potato kugel. IMO mushy kugel is like the kugel you buy in a store, creamy and no pieces. Non mushy kugel, comes from grated type potatoes, and you taske the pieces a bit. Both are good depending on taste.

Tamiri

Mon, Aug 25 2008, 2:34 pm

Oops, I posted on the "what's for Shabbat meals" thread.
The taste is divine. Like latkes. The kugel (I froze half) was gobbled up. I heated the oil in the pan before putting the batter in - sizzle sizzle yum and crispy crust. The only thing I noticed was that because there is no flour or anything to hold it together, it sort of collapses. Is that correct? The tiny bit of sugar made a big diff.

rivkeah

Mon, Sep 01 2008, 4:06 pm

The Best Overenight Potato Kugel

6 potatoes
6 eggs
3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 small onion
2 tbsp motzah Meal

Blend in food processor,put in oven on 350 for an hour uncovered, then cover with parchment paper and silver foil. Place on the middle shelf .Put aluminum pan with water on bottom and leave on 200 over night . It comes out High and fluffy!
I did it the first time I made kugel and never changed my recipe, TRY IT!!

OldYoung

Mon, Sep 01 2008, 4:25 pm

Tamiri wrote:

Mine doesn't collapse. Confused

And I haven't been cooking or baking long enough to be able to figure out how to fix that.... but glad it tasted great! The recipe is too simple to pass up.

Besiyata Dishmaya

Thu, Sep 25 2008, 5:39 am

Fabulous wrote:

I add hot water for two reasons.
1) safety instead of hot oil
2) moisture because I eventually turn them into overnight kugels
No, it is not too much if you are making it overnight. If not, just put in a TBS or 2.
Good luck and let me know how it turns out.

Is it possible that the problem is with the quality of the potatoes? In NY I used to use Idaho potatoes and my kugels were always yummy. Since I came to Israel my potato kugels were never as good and I use the same recipe. This time, though, as per your suggestion, I tried it with water instead of much of the oil. It was a bit dry and still not the delicious kugel I'm used to.

Besiyata Dishmaya

Thu, Sep 25 2008, 5:51 am

Aidelmom wrote:

My sister claims that it does depend on the quality of the potatoes. Do you use the yellow or red potatoes?

I tried them both. I think the red is a bit better. What bothers me is the dryness. I put a piece of kugel in the cholent, and it's much better. Besides my own little piece, I can't do that to an entire kugel, though. Most potato kugels here that I eat at simchos, I don't like either. Because of this, I lately started making lokshen and apple kugels.

Aidelmom

Thu, Sep 25 2008, 10:01 am

MeThinks wrote:

Aidelmom wrote:

My sister claims that it does depend on the quality of the potatoes. Do you use the yellow or red potatoes?

How much oil do you put in? My recipe calls for a half a cup of oil for 12 potatoes plus liberal greasing of the pan.

Besiyata Dishmaya

Fri, Sep 26 2008, 6:28 am

Aidelmom wrote:

How much oil do you put in? My recipe calls for a half a cup of oil for 12 potatoes plus liberal greasing of the pan.

About 3/4-1 cup of oil and six eggs for 12 medium potatoes.

Aidelmom

Fri, Sep 26 2008, 6:46 am

yeah thats the right recipe. Sorry my mistake. Btw I just made kugel with the yellow potatoes, a half a recipe and it came out heavenly. Very moist. in addition to what you said theres an onion and salt and pepper in it.
so maybe try again - or could it be your oven ..

Tamiri

Mon, Oct 20 2008, 10:22 am

I made this today for the chag, and it's really good:

Potatonik

3 lbs. potatoes
1 small onion
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
2 1/4 tsp. dried yeast
2 cups flour plus one extra if potatoes are watery.

Dissolve yeast in small amount of warm water (about 1/4 cup) in a bowl. When it puffs up, add eggs, grated onion, grated potatoes, salt, pepper, oil and flour. Mix well together. Put into a greased loaf an and let rise in warm place for about 1 hour and bake for one hour in 400 degrees oven or until brown.

ihyphenated

Sat, Oct 25 2008, 11:19 pm

I really dont like mushy potato kugel. I like crispy, texturey, really potatoey tasting potato kugel.
here's what I do
I wash the potatoes well, because I leave on the skins
I grate them in the cuisinart using the grating blade- the one that people were complaining about!
I put them in the wide way instead of the long way- the strings of potatoes come out as long as the whole potato, not just the side of the potato.
I also grate one or two onions in there too.
I put the grated onions and potatoes in my 9x13 pyrex and and add about 3 eggs, a decent amount of olive oil, coarse salt (I totally agree about the coarse salt!!) pepper, paprika, and maybe some garlic powder.
then I bake it at 375 untill its cooked through and reallly crispy on top.