How to Make Easy Lithuanian Kugelis

Kugelis is a Lithuanian specialty, made from shredded potatoes, bacon, eggs and cream. Most recipes are sized to feed an army and involve lots of grating. Who has time for that? Here's how to make kugelis that tastes like your grandma's but is quick and easy.

Things You'll Need

• 3 lbs. frozen hash brown potatoes
• 2 large onions, diced
• 1/4 lb. bacon slices
• 1 cup light cream or half and half
• 3 slightly beaten egg yolks
• Salt
• Pepper
• Dried parsley
• 2 egg whites
• 4 tbsps. unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Thaw frozen hash browns in your refrigerator overnight.

2. Fry up bacon strips until browned. Drain off the fat, leaving about 2 tbsps. in the skillet. Fry up the onions until richly golden brown. Remove onions from the heat, and set aside.

3. Dice up bacon strips and set aside.

4. Combine thawed hash browns, bacon, onions, cream and egg yolks in a very large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add 2 tsps. dried parsley for color.

5. Whip egg whites until stiff in another bowl, and carefully fold into the potato mixture.

6. Gently place the mixture in a 13 x 9 inch greased baking pan, and dot with unsalted butter.

7. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the top crust is crispy brown. Makes 8 servings.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to do it old-school, grate 3 lbs. of potatoes on a box grater (the coarse side). Rinse the grated potatoes in several changes of water until the water is not cloudy. Then, place the potatoes in a linen towel and squeeze out as much water as you can. Rinse them again and squeeze them dry one more time. Expect to take an extra hour or two for this step.

• If you wish, add spices like marjoram or thyme to the potato mixture. About 1 tsp. should work well.

• Serve with sour cream, applesauce, sauteed onions, or lingonberry preserves. (If you want to drive your old country relatives nuts, have ketchup on the side.)

Resources

• Find more Lithuanian recipes at this site!