Alsatian Pear Kugel

Kosher Side Dishes

Alsatian Pear Kugel

pearkugel

Adapted from Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France, by Joan Nathan

Bosc Pears and Italian Blue Plums (dried for use in the winter) are fruits that were most often put into kugel. This very old Alsatian Sabbath kugel uses leftover bread that is soaked in water, squeezed to remove any excess moisture, and then mixed with the dried or fresh fruit and left to stew in the oven overnight. Some, like this version, include onions, which add a savory dimension to the sweetness of the fruit and the dough. I love this dish, which I serve in my home for Rosh Hashanah and the Sabbath as a side dish with brisket.

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds (4 cups) ripe Bosc pears
2 small onions (about 1/2 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 loaf white bread (about 7 ounces)
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter or parve margarine, melted
3 large eggs
1 12 cups pitted prunes
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9-inch springform pan with 2 tablespoons of the oil.

Peel the pears, and cut all but one of them into 1-inch dice.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Lightly saut

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