Kugelis (Lithuanian Potato Pudding)
Kugelis is the dish Lithuanians actually grew up eating, not the fancier stuff that ends up in cookbooks. Every family has a version of their Lithuanian Potato Pudding, and every family will tell you theirs is the right one. Mine bakes grated potatoes with butter and onion until the top turns deep gold and the edges pull away from the dish, then gets topped with a proper bacon, onion and sour cream sauce.
Equipment
- Potato Grater see section "Equipment Needed" in the text above
- 24 x 24 cm (9½ x 9½ inch) ovenproof dish
Ingredients
- 70 g (5 tbsp) butter
- 1 onion large, very finely chopped
- 1.3 kg (about 3 lb) potatoes peeled
- 2 eggs large
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 50 ml (3 tbsp) whole (full-fat) milk
- ¼ lemon juice only or 1 crushed 500 mg vitamin C tablet
- 300 g (10 oz) smoked bacon lardons
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 large or 4 small brown onions thinly sliced or chopped
- 100 g (scant ½ cup) sour cream or creme fraiche
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the kugelis:
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan over low heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened and light golden brown.
- Grate the peeled potatoes on the fine zester side of a box grater, or blitz to a paste in a food processor or high-powered blender.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional / 400°F). Grease the ovenproof dish.
- Mix the potatoes with the buttery onion, milk, eggs, salt and pepper. Stir in the lemon juice (or crushed vitamin C tablet).
- Pour into the prepared dish and bake for 40 minutes. Increase the temperature to 200°C fan (220°C conventional / 425°F) and bake for a further 15–20 minutes, until deep golden and the sides pull away from the dish.
Make the sauce:
- While the kugelis bakes, fry the bacon in a dry frying pan over medium heat until crisp. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, melt the butter and add the onions. Sauté until softened and lightly browned.
- Return the bacon to the pan with the onions. Just before serving, stir in the sour cream and 2 tablespoons of water, and heat for 3–4 minutes.
Serve:
- Let the kugelis rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing. Top with the bacon and onion sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
Why Is Vitamin C Needed in This Recipe?
Raw potatoes, especially when grated, oxidise really quickly, which, in turn, makes them brown and unappealing. Vitamin C slows down the browning. If you are using a manual grater, it may take a while to grate all the potatoes, so it is advisable to add some Vitamin C tablets (use the ones without coloured coating) or lemon juice.