Kugelis

Kugelis (Lithuanian Potato Pudding)

A classic Lithuanian baked potato pudding from the Sunday and harvest tables of Aukštaitija and Dzūkija: finely grated raw potatoes bound with eggs and a splash of milk, slow-baked until crisp on top and creamy within, served with sour cream, bacon, or cold pink borscht.

Prep

25 min

Cook

75 min

Total

100 min

Serves

6 to 8 as a side

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •1200 g (2 lb 10 oz) raw starchy potatoes, Russets or another floury variety; do not use waxy potatoes
• •1 medium yellow onion
• •2 large eggs, room temperature
• •60 ml (¼ cup) whole milk, or substitute sour cream (grietinė) for a richer, tangier batter
• •15 g (1 Tbsp) all-purpose flour, optional, helps bind if potatoes are very wet
• •10 g (2 tsp) fine salt, adjust to taste
• •2 g (1 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •20 g (1½ Tbsp) unsalted butter, for greasing and finishing
• •120 g (4 oz) smoked bacon, optional topping, cut into small lardons

Steps

1. 1 Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 190°C / 375°F. Generously grease a roughly 22 x 30 cm (9 x 13 in) baking dish with about 10 g of the butter.
2. 2 Peel the potatoes and the onion. Working quickly to prevent discoloration, grate them on the fine side of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the fine shredding disc. Tip the grated mixture into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and press gently for 2 to 3 minutes to drain off the cloudy liquid; discard the liquid (do not squeeze dry, you want the starch to stay in the pulp).
3. 3 In a small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs with the milk, salt, and pepper. If using the flour, whisk it in now so there are no lumps.
4. 4 Add the grated potato and onion to a large mixing bowl. Pour the egg-milk mixture over and fold together with a wooden spoon until evenly combined. The batter should be thick, wet, and slightly foamy from the released starch.
5. 5 Spoon the batter into the prepared dish and spread it level with the back of the spoon. Dot the surface with the remaining 10 g of butter, cut into small pieces.
6. 6 Bake uncovered for 60 to 70 minutes, until the top is deeply golden brown and crisp, the edges pull away from the sides of the dish, and a skewer inserted in the center meets no resistance. Internal temperature should read at least 90°C / 195°F in the center.
7. 7 While the kugelis bakes, place the bacon lardons in a small cold skillet. Cook over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the lardons are deep mahogany and crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
8. 8 Rest the kugelis in the dish for 10 minutes so it firms up enough to slice cleanly. Cut into thick wedges and lift out with a spatula.
9. 9 Serve hot, topped with the crisp bacon, an extra knob of butter, and either a dollop of sour cream (grietinė), a ladle of cold šaltibarščiai, or a glass of kefyras alongside. Leftover wedges reheat well in a 180°C / 350°F oven for 10 minutes to re-crisp the top.