Springform Kugel

I knew food would play a large part in my life when I started to plan said life around meals. From planning get-togethers with friends around dinner, making sweets for birthdays, or simple brunches with family, food has been my love language for as long as I can remember. When I recall some of the most defining moments of my childhood there is a plate of food in the center of the table that I can smell and taste if I close my eyes. The dish that filled my nostrils with seasonal joy each March when I was younger was always my grandmother’s kugel. Growing up in a Jewish household, my family didn’t frequent Temple but was always eager and excited to gather for Hanukkah and Passover meals and celebrations. As a kid I remember lying in bed thinking about the door being left open for spirits to come in and nibble at our leftovers. At least I think that’s what it was for; I was too busy eating parsley dipped in saltwater as though it was an appetizer and splashing wine on my plate in an attempt to make my own version of a Passover Pollock.

Kugel is a funny sort of dish that might not seem all too appealing if you’ve never eaten it and only read the ingredients. It’s a combination of cottage cheese, cream, egg noodles, sugar, and raisins; you bake it like a casserole. While it’s a sweet side, it can be served alongside savory dishes—I often eat it as a dish on its own or for a dessert that isn’t too sweet year-round. In an effort to add a more appealing look to the noodle kugel (which is actually very fun to say out loud), I generously buttered a springform pan, sprinkled some sugar across the top to create a crispy layer, and baked it until the tips of the exposed noodles were golden brown. Pop the springform mold off and you’ve got what we could call.. a kugel cake! While it tastes almost exactly the same as my grandma’s, legend has it that we eat with our eyes, so why not make the pan swap for a more eye-catching centerpiece for Passover this weekend?