I didn’t grow up celebrating Jewish holidays, but since I’ve been working as a private chef in NYC, I’ve cooked a handful of Seders and Kosher dinners, and this Potato Kugel always finds its way onto the menu. This recipe takes the typical French Gratin recipe and achieves a golden brown crust using Matzah and eggs rather than cream, cheese, or breadcrumbs. I serve this anytime I need a Kosher-friendly side dish, or have extra Matzah on hand. Slicing the potatoes into uniform thinness is the most laborious part of this recipe, so feel free to reach for a mandolin or food processor with a slicer attachment.
- 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 5 lbs Russet Potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, sliced 1/8th-inch thick
- 5 shallots, thinly sliced
- several sprigs of fresh thyme, stripped for leaves
- Kosher Salt & freshly ground Black Pepper
- 5 eggs
- 2 cups Chicken Stock (use a good gelatinous bone broth for best results)
- 1 1/2 cups Matzah Meal
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil a large ceramic or glass baking dish with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Arrange potatoes and shallots evenly in the oiled dish (see picture above for reference) and sprinkle with thyme leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. *I recommend using 1 1/2 tablespoons of Kosher salt.
- Whisk together eggs, stock, and Matzah until smooth. Pour evenly over potatoes.
- Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 45 minutes. If the surface is not satisfactorily browned, finish under the broiler.
