Sunday, April 29, 2012

Bacon and egg salad for my mom

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Bacon and egg salad: Yet another way bacon and eggs were meant to be together

Mother's Day is coming right up, and to get in the mood our local food blogger posse (Food Bloggers Los Angeles) had a potluck brunch where members brought dishes inspired by their moms.

It took me a while to figure out what to bring. My mother is not the world's greatest cook. She never baked cakes. No homemade bread. No elaborate Julia Child-inspired anything. My mother made baked fish sprinkled with paprika, frozen vegetables, and reservations.

However, my mother does like to eat. And one of her favorite meals, day or night, breakfast or dinner, is egg salad.

She's also spent the last few years on and off the Atkins diet. Which means there's been a not insignificant amount of bacon in her world.

Bacon and eggs go great together in every form. So I made a big bowl of egg salad, cooked a pound of bacon, and slapped them together. No meat-eater on the planet will object to this egg salad. It's just plain fantastic.

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Bacon and egg salad
If you like egg salad and you like bacon, you'll love everything about bacon and egg salad. The secret ingredients: bacon fat and pickle juice. Don't laugh! I know it's over the top. Just splurge and thank me later.
Ingredients
  • 1 dozen eggs
  • 1 pound bacon
  • 3 large ribs of celery, chopped
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • 2/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 Tbsp dill pickle juice (from a jar of dill pickles)
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Put the eggs in a pot in which they fit snugly. Cover the eggs with cold water, put the pot over medium-high heat, and bring the pot to a boil. When the water boils, cover the pot, turn off the heat, and leave the pot of eggs sitting on the stove for 15 minutes - they will cook in the hot water even though the stove is turned off. After 15 minutes, dump out the hot water and run cold water into the pot until the eggs are cool enough to handle. Peel under running water and dry on a paper towel. Put the eggs in a large mixing bowl.While the eggs are boiling, cook the bacon until crisp. I cook my bacon in the microwave, laying the strips in a single layer between layers of paper towel. The time to cook the bacon depends on how thick it is; thinly sliced bacon can cook in as little as 3-4 minutes, while thick-cut bacon can take 7 minutes or more. Check it every few minutes to make sure it's not burning. Or, if you find it easier, cook your bacon in a skillet or in the oven. When the bacon is cool, crumble it into little pieces, reserving a few slices to garnish the top of the bowl if you wish.Use a potato masher to crush the boiled eggs until all the whites are in tiny pieces. Add the celery, green onions, mayonnaise and pickle juice. Mix thoroughly, then add the crumbled bacon and mix again. Taste and add salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper.Scoop the bacon and egg salad into a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved slices of bacon, if using. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 8-10 servings

Friday, April 27, 2012

Kale salad with radishes

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Living in California has changed my eating habits forever.

When I think back to what I put in my body 20 years ago I cringe. I was living and working in Manhattan. I ate lunch out, dinner out. There were vegetables, but not many. I remember a lot of french fries and Chinese food. I was learning to bake thanks to my friend Judith, so there was cake. And I was young, so there was drink - not excessive, but not zero.

If you had told me back then that in my midlife I would be craving kale salad, I would have laughed so hard I peed.

Maybe it's the California weather. Maybe it's the abundance of beautiful produce. Maybe it's my desire not to weigh 300 pounds. I'm not sure of the reason, but the fact remains: Many nights I come home from work and all I want to eat is kale salad.

This is my current favorite. Tuscan kale (also known as dinosaur kale), radishes and avocados are available year-round. Lemon keeps things light. And if you haven't discovered smoked salt yet, run to your nearest gourmet store. I bought some Pacific alderwood smoked salt at Marche Provisions when I visited Eugene last fall for the Oregon Truffle Festival - it smells like a fireplace and adds an essence I can only describe as "lumberjack" to anything it adorns. But any smoked salt will do, and you should find some readily at your favorite foodie supply shop.

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Kale salad with radishes
This salad is surprisingly light and refreshing despite being based on kale, which many people consider too bitter and sturdy for salads. The tricks: slicing the greens ribbon-thin and letting them sit and wilt for a bit in the lemon juice and salt.
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch Tuscan kale (also called dinosaur kale)
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • large pinch of smoked salt
  • 1 bunch radishes
  • 1 large ripe avocado
  • 1 cup chopped snow pea leaves (optional)
  • 1 cup croutons
Instructions
Wash the kale well and remove the tough stem from each leaf. Stack the dark-green leaves and cut into very thin ribbons (chiffonade) using a very sharp knife. Put the kale ribbons into a serving bowl and add the lemon juice, olive oil and smoked salt. Massage the salad with your fingers for a minute or two - this will help wilt the kale. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.Slice the radishes paper-thin (a mandoline helps) and add to the salad. Cut the avocado into quarters, peel off the skin, cut the flesh into 1-inch chunks, and add those to the bowl as well. If you're using the snow pea leaves, add them now - any earlier and they'll get too wilted.Put the croutons in a zip-top bag and bash them a few times with a rolling pin or something with a little heft to it. Sprinkle the crumbs over the salad. Toss the whole thing gently, then taste, adding more olive oil or smoked salt for balance. Serve immediately.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 4 servings

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Whole wheat lime bars

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Remember how I said I wasn't really a dessert person? Right. Except for these whole wheat lime bars.

I made a few key changes to my favorite lemon bar recipe and the results were good. Very good. So good that this non-dessert person ate (I don't want to tell you how many) in one sitting.

Oh, sorry, no, not one sitting. One standing at the counter. There was no chair involved.

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Whole wheat lime bars
Tart, tangy lime curd sits on a sturdy whole-wheat crust in this twist on the typical lemon bar. White whole wheat flour is lighter than standard whole wheat flour and is available in the baking section of most major grocery stores.
Ingredients
  • 1 1/8 cups white whole wheat flour, divided
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • zest of two limes, finely grated
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a square 9x9-inch pan with baking spray, then line the pan with aluminum foil (this will make it easier to remove the bars in one piece so you can cut them properly on a cutting board). Spray the aluminum foil with baking spray as well.In a bowl, mix together 1 cup of the white whole wheat flour, the powdered sugar, the melted butter, and the salt with a fork until a crumbly dough forms. Press the dough into the prepared pan so it covers the bottom and goes about 1/2 inch up the sides. Bake the crust about 15 minutes or until it just starts to turn golden. While the crust is baking, whisk together the remaining 1/8 cup flour, eggs, granulated sugar, baking powder, lime juice and zest. (I always put the baking powder through a little strainer to be sure the lumps are gone.) Pull the crust out of the oven, pour over the lime mixture, and return the pan to the oven for another 30 minutes, or until the center no longer jiggles when you shake the pan.Cool the lime bars in the pan for half an hour, then refrigerate at least two hours before cutting. This will help you get nice, even edges - and believe me, rushing the process ensures a mess. Cut with a large knife into 9 even squares or 12 smaller rectangles.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 9-12 servings

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Nutella yogurt cake

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I like to bake, but I only make easy cakes. I've tried rolling fondant and piping royal icing. I suck at both. Give me a homey, homely cake over a dressed-to-the-nines pastry chef concoction any day.

A friend on the East coast (hi Paul!) made a Nutella yogurt cake he'd seen on Stacey Snacks a few weeks ago and crowed about it on Facebook. I knew instantly that it was going into my regular rotation. 


I've been making a classic French yogurt cake for years, inspired by the gateau au yaourt on Chocolate and Zucchini. It's a cake that meets my requirements exactly: easy, homey, homely. I've made it plain and with variations: plum yogurt cake, pear almond yogurt cake, lime yogurt cake, chocolate orange yogurt cake. But never Nutella.

We've been going through a lot of Nutella lately. My friend Amanda is staying with us for a while. She likes Nutella. Especially late at night smeared on a fresh flour tortilla. And, apparently, in Nutella yogurt cake. That's her below. Eating Nutella yogurt cake with her fingers at the kitchen counter. With a sheepish grin.


This cake comes together in less time than it takes to preheat your oven. You mix up the batter for yogurt cake, put most of it in the pan, then mix the remaining batter with a good dollop of Nutella. Dump it on top, swirl a little, bake, and you've got cake. Between Amanda, the kids and me, we polished off two Nutella yogurt cakes in less than a week. Amanda gilded the lily and frosted hers with...Nutella.


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Nutella yogurt cake
What do you get when you mix the classic French yogurt cake with nutty, chocolatey Nutella? You get a darn good homemade cake in an hour flat. Dig in.
Ingredients
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/3 cup grapeseed or canola oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup Nutella
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, oil, sugar and vanilla until smooth.In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. I always sift my baking powder and baking soda through a little strainer, having once had the misfortune to bite into a muffin with a clump of baking soda in it. It's up to you.Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until combined. Pour about 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it out to the edges. Add the Nutella to the remaining batter in the bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour the Nutella-laced batter on top of the plain batter and use a knife or spatula to swirl the batters together a bit.Bake the cake about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. The Nutella keeps the center of the cake very moist, so don't worry if the center still looks a tiny bit jiggly. As long as it's not actually liquid you'll be fine.Cool the cake in the pan. Serve at room temperature.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 9-12 servings

Monday, April 16, 2012

White asparagus with truffle butter

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Steamed white asparagus dressed in truffle butter
My local Costco continues to surprise me. Yesterday I went into the cold room to pick up my staples - lettuce, Persian cucumbers and blackberries - only to be confronted by a huge pile of white asparagus. Each bag held 1.75 pounds of beautiful Peruvian white asparagus. I believe I shrieked and did a little dance, much to the delight and/or annoyance of the many Costco shoppers around me.

White asparagus is grown in the dark, buried up to its neck in dirt, which keeps the plant from producing chlorophyll and blanches the stalks. It's milder and sweeter than green asparagus. I steamed it soft, then threw on a few knobs of homemade truffle butter I'd been keeping in the freezer for just such an occasion. A treat of a side dish, only possible for a few weeks of the year.

Note 1: If you're fussy about stringy things between your teeth, peel the spears before steaming them. I don't mind the fibers, but cooked white asparagus is a lot easier to bite into when it's been peeled.

Note 2: I make my own truffle butter every summer for Trufflepalooza, my multi-course truffle extravaganza, so I've always got some in the freezer. What? You don't? No worries - you can buy truffle butter at most gourmet stores. Or cheat and use regular butter and a splash of truffle oil. I won't tell and it will still be delicious.

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White asparagus with truffle butter
White asparagus, available for only a few weeks each year, are milder and sweeter than their green brethren. A knob of fragrant truffle butter lifts a simple side dish to new heights.
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds white asparagus
  • 2 Tbsp truffle butter
  • sea salt
Instructions
Wash the asparagus spears and trim off the woody ends. You can peel the stalks if you insist on getting rid of all the fibrous strings, although I don't mind them myself and never peel.Place a steamer basket in a large pot with a few inches of water in the bottom. Lay the asparagus in the basket, cover the pot, and turn up the heat. Steam the asparagus about 6-8 minutes, until they are very tender but not falling apart.Place the asparagus on a platter, dot with the truffle butter, and sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve immediately. It is perfectly acceptable and even encouraged at my table to eat asparagus spears with your fingers.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 6-8 servings

Friday, April 13, 2012

White chocolate bread from Club Med

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My version of Club Med's white chocolate bread

We spent spring break this year with my extended family at Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Florida. I've been to other Club Meds, so I knew the food would be good and the bread truly outstanding. You can take the baker out of France, but you can't take France out of the baker.

At every meal we had a choice of nearly a dozen different breads. Baguettes, of course, and brioche in various shapes. I ignored the breakfast omelettes and loaded up on the raisin bread, dense with sweet, plump raisins, with a few triangles of runny Brie.

But the hands-down family favorite, and one of Club Med's signature recipes, is the white chocolate bread. Despite the name, it's not too sweet. As I learned from head pastry chef Charles, that's because there's no sugar in the dough. It's basically a standard French bread dough with white chocolate chips, which melt and caramelize to give the bread its characteristic golden coat.

Club Med Sandpiper lead pastry chef Charles making white chocolate bread


Chef Charles's tip: Hershey's white chocolate chips work much better in this bread than fancy, expensive white chocolate. Why? He's not sure - they might have a higher sugar content, he thinks, which helps them caramelize more deeply in the hot oven.

And my tip: When you vacation at a resort or large hotel, tell the manager you're interested in meeting the chef and seeing the kitchens. If you write a food blog, give him your card and explain that you love writing about the places you travel to. As I always say: Ask for the story you want. At Club Med Sandpiper, manager Lionel was more than happy to arrange a private cooking demo for me so I could take pictures.

My version of Club Med's white chocolate bread is a little simpler and adds some whole wheat flour. Don't forget to get some steam into the oven - you won't get a good crust without it.

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White chocolate bread a la Club Med
Every Club Med around the world serves white chocolate bread on its pastry and bread buffet at every meal. This version is adapted slightly from Club Med's signature recipe. White whole wheat flour is a lighter whole grain flour, made from winter white wheat; it is widely available in the baking section of major grocery stores.
Ingredients
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp dry yeast (instant or regular active)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • approximately 1 cup warm water
  • 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
Instructions
Add the flours, yeast and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix briefly to make sure all dry ingredients are evenly distributed. With the mixer running on low, add half the water. Add the rest slowly, stopping when the dough comes together and starts moving around the bowl in a ball. You want the dough to be somewhat wet, but it should still move as one around the bowl. I wish I could tell you exactly how much water to add, but bread doesn't work that way - it depends on the flour, the humidity in the air, and other mysterious and unpredictable things. When the dough has come together, feel it. If it feels dry, add a little more water. Mix briefly, then add the chocolate chips. Set the mixer on the next to lowest speed and walk away for about five minutes. The mixer will do all the hard work kneading the bread dough.[If you don't have a mixer, put the dry ingredients in a big bowl, add the water, and use your muscles. Add the chips after the dough has come together into a shaggy but recognizable mess. You'll need to knead at least 10 minutes by hand. Good luck.]After kneading the dough will be relatively smooth and the chips will be more or less evenly distributed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, put it in a warm place, and leave it to rise until it's doubled in bulk (around 2 hours, but again, it depends heavily on your local conditions). Turn the dough out onto the counter and punch the air out of it. For large rolls, divide it into approximately 12 even pieces. You can make smaller rolls or one big loaf if you prefer. Put the rolls or loaf onto two parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving plenty of room for rising. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. The second rise will be shorter, about 45-60 minutes.Heat the oven to 450. Fill a spray bottle with clean water; if you don't have a spray bottle, put a heavy baking dish or cast-iron skillet on the bottom rack of your oven while it's heating up.When the oven is hot, quickly open the door, slide in the bread, and either spritz the bread with the spray bottle or pour some water into the preheated pan on the bottom rack. Close the door immediately to trap the steam and turn the oven down to 400 degrees. If you used the spray bottle, spray again after about 5 minutes of baking. Bake about 30 minutes (maybe 20 for smaller rolls, 45 for one large loaf), until the outside of the bread is golden brown and studded with dark-brown caramelized chips. Cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 12 rolls

Monday, April 9, 2012

Passover recipes, holiday traditions

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Matzoh kugel with apple and cinnamon - one of my Passover traditions

I've collected a lot of Passover recipes over the years. In 2009, during my first year writing about food, I asked local chefs, caterers and home cooks in Los Angeles to share their favorite Passover recipes in my LA Cooking Examiner column. I got a dozen or so, each more interesting than the next. (Click here for the entire list - it's worth perusing, I promise.)

I love the diversity of southern California's Jewish cuisine. For a girl of Russian-Polish descent from Long Island, Los Angeles's Sephardic leanings feel very exotic. I wrote about Tunisian carrot salad, Persian "celebration rice," lamb tagine with artichokes. I read about haroset with avocados and bananas, which sounded a little weird. I planned imaginary seders in which matzoh balls were laced with ginger, nutmeg, foie gras.

And yet, when it comes right down to it, my own holiday table has remained fairly boring. I keep it simple and use Passover as an opportunity to celebrate spring. I add sliced snap peas and fresh dill to my matzoh ball soup at the last minute. I cook fat asparagus in the oven as a side dish. I roast my chicken with a sprinkle of garlic salt, crisping the skin under the broiler. Sometimes I put together a matzoh kugel, but other years I serve new potatoes cooked in salt water and call it a day. We always have a big salad, fruit for dessert. Other than the lack of bread, it could be any other dinner on any other night.

Next year, maybe, I'll try that haroset with avocados. Or maybe not. Because, strangely enough, I don't mind that my Passover food is less than memorable. When my kids think back on Passovers past, they'll remember the Seuss-inspired seder, the 10-minute haggadah, bumbling the words to "Dayenu," a gaggle of kids searching for the afikomen in the backyard after dark. And that's okay.

A happy Passover and Easter season to you all. May your holidays create many wonderful memories.

What are some of your Passover and Easter holiday traditions? Share your favorites in the comments below.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Grilled cheese with kale-pistachio pesto

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I'm on a kale kick. I'm putting kale in just about everything these days: smoothies, salads, quiche, soup.

So when Tillamook asked me to create a signature grilled cheese to celebrate Grilled Cheese Lovers' Day (it's April 12, in case you want to plan a party or something), my first thought was...kale. How could I get kale into a gooey, creamy, crispy grilled cheese sandwich?

I've been focused on kale for health reasons, but I have to tell you that this grilled Tillamook Colby Jack with kale-pistachio pesto might be the best grilled cheese sandwich I've ever eaten.

The key is the contrast. Creamy, mild cheese. Hearty whole-grain bread. And a smooth paste combining the slight bitterness of the kale, a sharp touch of garlic, and the salty pistachios. I used olive oil on the outside instead of butter to let the flavors of the kale pesto shine through.

Outrageous.

For the record, the 13-year-old, who doesn't even like grilled cheese, liked this one. The 10-year-old, who loves grilled cheese but prefers it unadulterated, ate this grilled cheese with kale pesto two days in a row. He'd be eating it still except we finished all the Colby Jack.

You'll have more kale-pistachio pesto than you need for the grilled cheese. It keeps well (refrigerated). Try it on pasta or mixed into cooked rice.

Disclosure: No one paid me anything to write this post. I did, however, get some awesome Tillamook cheese samples, which my family decimated.

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Grilled Tillamook Colby Jack cheese with kale-pistachio pesto
One of my favorite ways to eat kale is in this smooth, garlicky pesto. The sharp garlic and slightly bitter kale pair perfectly with Tillamook's smooth Colby Jack cheese. Griddled on thick slices of hearty whole-grain bread, this is one of the best and most unusual grilled cheese sandwiches I've ever tasted.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups raw kale leaves, center ribs removed, torn into rough pieces
  • 1/4 cup pistachio nuts, shelled, roasted and salted (measure after shelling)
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tsp olive oil, divided
  • 4 thick slices hearty whole-grain bread
  • 4 slices Tillamook Colby Jack cheese
Instructions
Put the kale, pistachios, garlic and 1/4 cup olive oil in a blender or food processor. Process until a smooth paste forms.Using a pastry brush, coat the outsides of the bread slices with the remaining 2 tsp olive oil. Lay the bread oiled side down on a cutting board. Spread 1 tsp of the kale-pistachio pesto on the inside of each slice of bread (reserve the remaining pesto for another use - it's great on pasta). Divide the Tillamook Colby Jack cheese between two slices of the bread, then top with the remaining slices.Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sandwiches and grill until the cheese is melted and the outsides of the sandwiches are golden brown, watching carefully to make sure the bread doesn't burn. Remove the sandwiches from the skillet, cut in half, and serve immediately.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 2 sandwiches

Monday, April 2, 2012

Passover dessert: Matzoh kugel with apples (pareve)

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My kids' school is holiday-happy. They celebrate just about everything. I believe in the separation of church and state, but I like their inclusive approach. The children learn about Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Diwali (the Indian "festival of lights"), Nowruz (the Persian new year), Chinese new year. If there's a holiday, they find a lesson in it.

A few years ago I helped with the Passover celebration in my younger son's classroom. I normally make savory matzoh kugels for our Passover seder, but I thought the kids might prefer something sweet. Now I make this apple matzoh kugel every year. It's light and fluffy, somehow, even with the matzoh. I like the apples thinly sliced, as in the photo above, but you can grate them if you want the kugel to have a more uniform texture.

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Passover dessert: Matzoh kugel with apples (pareve)
An excellent substitute for apple pie during the Passover holiday. Slice the apples thinly for a rustic presentation, or grate them for a more uniform texture.
Ingredients
  • 6 sheets unsalted matzoh
  • 3 large or 4 small Granny Smith apples, cored and peeled
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 Tbsp grapeseed or canola oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a medium-sized casserole dish with cooking spray (a 9x13 pan works fine).Place a colander inside a large bowl. Put the matzoh into the colander, breaking it into small pieces. Run hot water over the matzoh and let it sit 5 minutes. Lift the colander out of the bowl and press the matzoh down hard to squeeze out the excess water.Pour the water out of the large bowl. Break the eggs into the bowl and beat them with a fork. Add the sugar, cinnamon, oil, salt and matzoh. Stir to combine.Slice the apples thinly (or grate them if you prefer). Add the apples to the matzoh mixture and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and slide the baking dish into the oven.Bake the kugel about 50 minutes, until it is set and golden brown on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 8-10 servings