Entree: Lithuania – National Cuisine – Kugelis (Potato pudding)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 1 hr 15 min

Additional 15 min

Total 1 hr 50 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) starchy potatoes, peeled
- 1 medium onion, approx. 6 oz (170 g), peeled and finely grated or minced
- 6 large eggs, approx. 50 g each (total ~300 g)
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1/3 cup (40 g) all-purpose flour
- 6 oz (170 g) smoked bacon, diced
- 2 tsp (10 g) salt
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (1 g) dried marjoram (or 1 tbsp fresh, chopped)
- 2 tbsp (28 g) butter, melted (for greasing and dotting)
- Sour cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9x13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish with 1 tbsp (14 g) of the melted butter.
2. Grate the peeled potatoes on a coarse grater into a large bowl. Immediately squeeze out excess liquid from the grated potatoes using a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth; reserve about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the liquid and discard the rest.
3. In a frying pan over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until browned and crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving some fat in the pan. Sauté the grated onion in the bacon fat until soft and translucent, about 3–4 minutes; let cool slightly.
4. In a separate bowl beat the eggs with the milk, then stir in the reserved potato liquid, flour, salt, pepper and marjoram until smooth.
5. Combine the squeezed grated potatoes, sautéed onion, cooked bacon (reserve a small handful for topping) and the egg mixture. Mix thoroughly so the flour and eggs coat the potatoes evenly.
6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Dot with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle the reserved bacon on top.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 60–75 minutes, until the kugelis is set in the center and the top is deeply golden brown. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the last 15–20 minutes.
8. Let rest 10–15 minutes before slicing. Serve hot with sour cream (and optional lingonberry jam).