Potato Matzo Kugel

AniSarit's Note:

Hearty, flavorful, and tasty - what more could you ask for in a kugel? A kugel is a pudding made of starch smoothed out with fat and seasoned with spices. I first started making this for Passover, but now I make it on a regular basis. Lately, I've been blackmailed by friends to make it - "we're only coming over if you have your kugel". Ay. With a prep time of 20minutes, I shouldn't complain. Enjoy!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 9

• 2 -2 ½ lbs potatoes , peeled
• 2 onions , peeled
• 4 eggs , lightly beaten
• 1 cup matzo meal (plain breadcrumbs are fine for non-passover times)
• ½ cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
• kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Grease the inside of a 2 quart baking dish.
3. Grate the potatoes and onions (food processor will turn the potatoes brown really quickly and it's UGLY - avoid it if possible) and place in a strainer set over a bowl. It's important to work quick so the potatoes don't brown too much.
4. Squeeze as much moisture as you can from the potatoes and onions, and remove the strainer from the bowl.
5. In the bowl, you will see a liquid that sits on top of starch that is sticking to the bottom.
6. Discard the liquid being very careful not to discard the starch underneath.
7. Add the potatoes and onions to the bowl with the starch, along with the eggs, matzo meal, oil, and salt and pepper. I have not given a specific amount of salt as this is an individual preference - I like a lot of salt, and if I would post the amount, people's hypertension would soar just at reading it.
8. Stir very well.
9. Insert the mixture into the baking dish and bake for 45minutes-1hour, until the kugel is browned and bubbling.