Although I am not Jewish, I learned to appreciate American Jewish culture from a young age. It all started when my parents decided to enroll me in the one private school in Dallas where all the Jewish families sent their children. Soon, I was celebrating Passover and Hanukkah with my best friends' families, spending my Saturday mornings at Bar Mitzvah services and opting for Shabbat dinners at the Fines' house on Friday nights instead of at home. Here at Dartmouth, I have managed to get onto the Hillel blitz list and have enjoyed multiple Shabbat dinners at the Chabad rabbi's home.
Of course, one cannot discuss Jewish cultural traditions without talking about the food. There is nothing quite like a potato latke-induced slumber on the first night of Hannukah or a steaming bowl of matzo ball soup and Challah bread on a cold, wintery night. One of my all-time favorite Jewish dishes, however, would have to be the kugel that my freshman roommate's mother made us last year. Served as a side dish or dessert, kugel is essentially a sweet noodle casserole, often flavored with cinnamon and raisins and it's incredible. So in honor of Passover, I decided to make kugel for this week's recipe. That said, the dish is actually not kosher for Passover so try it out next week!
- Get a scoop of pasta (preferably the spiral kind) from the Collis pasta line.
- Add 2-3 scoops of cottage cheese.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of cinnamon on top.
- Add 2-3 spoons of brown sugar and raisins (they're below the meatballs or you can use sugar packets after checking out at the register).
- Stick the mixture in the microwave for about 2 minutes.
Chag Pesach Same'ach Happy Passover!
