Bread Kugel with Dried Fruit and Sundried Tomatoes

The first bread kugels made 800 years ago probably didn’t have more than a few raisins in them, and they definitely didn’t have sun-dried tomatoes since tomatoes were brought to Europe from the Americas in the 16th century! This recipe combines many of the flavors and foods found in Spain and Portugal (the home of Sephardic Jews) with the classic technique for making a bread kugel.

Tips:

Each step can be worked on independently over the course of the day, covered, and then all combined before baking.

Cream Sherry or additional apricot nectar can be substituted for the Madeira’

Eliminating the sun-dried tomatoes reduces saltiness so adjust seasoning accordingly.

2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning mix may be substituted for the individual herbs.

For extra soft stuffing, bake for the first 25 minutes covered with foil, shiny side up, then remove foil for the remainder of cooking time. 

Bread Kugel with Dried Fruit and Sundried Tomatoes

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

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Servings

8 Servings

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Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus additional for coating pan
• 1 onion diced
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• ½ cup mixed dried fruit apples, prunes, pears, apricots etc., chopped
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup apricot nectar
• ¼ cup Madeira optional –  add more apricot nectar if not using
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil drained and chopped
• ½ cup toasted almonds coarsely chopped
• 1 loaf 7 cups white bread or Challah with crust, cut into 1.2” cubes
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ½ teaspoon dried sage
• ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups chicken broth warmed or at room temperature
• 1 egg

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 2-quart casserole dish or 11.5- x 8-inch baking pan with evoo.
• Heat evoo over medium and sauté onion for 3 to five minutes, until lightly golden. Add celery and mushrooms, and sauté 10 minutes, or until vegetables are soft and juices have reduced. Set aside.
• Combine dried fruit, apricot nectar, and Madeira in a small micro-wave safe bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, and bread cubes.
• In a medium bowl, mix seasonings with chicken broth and egg. Set aside.
• Add onion mixture and the dried fruit/juice mixture to the bowl with the bread cubes and toss.
• Add broth and egg mixture to the bowl, and stir until the mixture is very moist and almost runny. If necessary, add more broth or nectar.
• Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish, and bake at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Source: Entree to Judaism For Families