Kugel Arancini! I created this recipe for my feature in the 2016 Feast Magazine December issue. The feature was titled Happy Challah Days and includes 8 Recipes that I created in honor of my Jewish heritage and really in honor of my Grandma Bette. She passed away in 2011 and a lot of my fondest memories of her were cooking for holidays together. Grandma really pushed my love for cooking.
I would love for you to read more about the story and about my Grandma on the story here.
Kugel is a traditional noodle and pudding dish that can be made either sweet or savory. As a kid, my job in the kitchen was to help my mom or grandma by balling up donuts, latkes, matzo... the list goes on. In the spirit of that tradition, I've balled up kugel into Italian-inspired arancini.
Serves 12 to 16
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Noodle Mixture
- unsalted butter
- yellow onion, minced
- garlic cloves, minced
- egg noodles
- white wine
- vegetable broth
- whole milk
Ingredients for Filling
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- grated white Cheddar cheese
- dried parsley
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients for Coating
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- eggs, beaten
- matzo meal (or 4 matzo pieces blended in a food processor)
- olive oil
- marinara sauce (to serve)
How to make Noodle Mixture
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and garlic, and cook for a few minutes, until fragrant and soft.
- While still in the bag, smash egg noodles until pieces are size of grains of rice. Add egg noodle pieces to sauté pan, and cook until slightly toasted. Pour in wine, and increase heat to medium-high. Keep stirring while noodle pieces absorb liquid. Slowly add vegetable broth and milk, and bring to a simmer. Cover, and let cook on low until noodle pieces are tender and all liquid has been absorbed or evaporated.
How to make Filling
- Once noodle mixture is cooked, remove from heat to a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in all ingredients until completely mixed.
- Cover with a kitchen towel or paper towel, and place in refrigerator to cool for about 4 hours or overnight.
How to make Coating
- In a shallow bowl, add flour, salt and pepper; in another shallow bowl, add beaten eggs; and in a third shallow bowl, add matzo meal. Prepare a plate or baking sheet for coated arancini. Prepare a paper towel-lined plate for fried arancini.
- Use a spoon to create balls of chilled noodle mixture, about 2 inches in diameter each. Dip balls in flour mixture, then egg and then matzo meal, and transfer to prepared plate.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1-inch olive oil. Test oil temperature by placing 1 arancini in skillet. Oil should sizzle but not pop when tested; it should cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until coating is golden brown. Remove arancini from skillet using a slotted spoon or tongs to prepared plate. Fry remaining arancini. Serve with marinara sauce.
Other Recipes from this Article to Try
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Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
Noodle Mixture
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ yellow onion minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 12 ounces egg noodles
- ½ cup white wine
- 2½ cups vegetable broth
- ¾ cup whole milk
Filling
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup white cheddar cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon parsley dried
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Coating
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 cup matzo meal or 4 matzo pieces blended in a food processor
- olive oil
- marinara sauce to serve
Instructions
Noodle Mixture
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and garlic, and cook for a few minutes, until fragrant and soft.
- While still in the bag, smash egg noodles until pieces are size of grains of rice. Add egg noodle pieces to sauté pan, and cook until slightly toasted. Pour in wine, and increase heat to medium-high. Keep stirring while noodle pieces absorb liquid. Slowly add vegetable broth and milk, and bring to a simmer. Cover, and let cook on low until noodle pieces are tender and all liquid has been absorbed or evaporated.
Filling
- Once noodle mixture is cooked, remove from heat to a large mixing bowl. Stir in all ingredients until completely mixed. Cover with a kitchen towel or paper towel, and place in refrigerator to cool for about 4 hours or overnight.
Coating
- In a shallow bowl, add flour, salt and pepper; in another shallow bowl, add beaten eggs; and in a third shallow bowl, add matzo meal. Prepare a plate or baking sheet for coated arancini. Prepare a paper towel-lined plate for fried arancini.
- Use a spoon to create balls of chilled noodle mixture, about 2 inches in diameter each. Dip balls in flour mixture, then egg and then matzo meal, and transfer to prepared plate.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1-inch olive oil. Test oil temperature by placing 1 arancini in skillet. Oil should sizzle but not pop when tested; it should cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until coating is golden brown. Remove arancini from skillet using a slotted spoon or tongs to prepared plate. Fry remaining arancini. Serve with marinara sauce.
Notes
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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