My mother, Nira, is a descendant of people who have lived in the Land of Israel for generations. On her Sephardic side, her grandmother Saada Amsalem’s family has the legacy of being one of the families that, even after the expulsion of the Jews following the destruction of the Second Temple in the year 70 CE, remained in the north of Israel, tasked with the stewardship of the tomb of one of Israel’s great sages.

On my mother’s Ashkenazi side, her family came to Israel in 1809 as students of the famed Rabbi, the Vilna Gaon. These Ashkenazi Jews came from Lithuania and brought the tradition of noodle kugels — a type of pudding made by combining cooked pasta with eggs, fruits, and sometimes cheeses. When they arrived in Israel, they had little access to the same produce as they found in Northern Europe, and thus this kugel, known as Yerushalmi Kugel, was born. It retained the eggs and pasta, but the fruits and curd cheeses were gone, replaced with sugar, oil, and pepper.

INGREDIENTS:

• 350g (12 ounces) thin egg noodles
• 300g (1 1/2 cups) sugar
• 80ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
• 6 eggs
• Salt to taste
• 2-6 teaspoons ground pepper

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven: Set to 180°C (350°F). Set aside a large baking dish (about 9 x 13 inches).
2. Cook the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until al dente. Drain, rinse, and place in a large heatproof bowl.
3. Caramelise the sugar: In a medium heavy-bottomed pot, combine the sugar and oil over medium heat. Cook until the sugar melts and turns a deep caramel colour.
4. Coat the noodles: Immediately pour the hot caramel over the noodles. It will sizzle—don’t worry. Stir quickly to evenly coat the noodles.
5. Add the eggs: Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Pour the beaten eggs over the caramel-coated noodles. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
6. Bake the kugel: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the kugel is set and slightly golden.

MAKE AHEAD: 

The cooled kugel can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge, well covered. Alternatively, it can be frozen for up to a month. Reheat on a hot plate or in a low oven until warmed through.