Traditional LITHUANIAN National Dish Tutorial – KUGELIS – Grated Potato Pudding / Pie
Lithuania’s National Dish: Grated Potato Pudding – Kugelis aka – grated potato pudding, baked potato pudding, flat potato dish, potato cake, potato pie, thick potato cake ~RECIPE~ 6 LARGE russet baking potatoes ~or~ 5 pound bag 1 large onion 1 lb. bacon 1 stick butter 8 large eggs 1-2 C. of hot milk or canned evaporated milk Salt / Pepper Preheat oven to 450. Peel potatoes and place in ice water. You may add some citric acid to the water bath to keep the potatoes from turning, but I don’t. The cold water keeps the potatoes crispy and makes them easier to grate. Set bowl of iced potatoes aside. Peel and dice one large onion and set aside. Fry up entire pound of bacon. Keep the bacon grease and melt one stick of butter in it. Saute the onions in the oils until they are opaque. Do NOT caramelize them. Once done, remove pan from heat and set aside. Crush or Crumble up the fried bacon and add to bacon/butter mixture. Stir and set aside. –(**Note** you can opt. NOT to add bacon to potato mixture and instead sprinkle it on top of dish–I personally liked it better mixed in) Crack 8 eggs in bowl and lightly whisk. Set aside. NOW, start grating/shredding the potatoes on the smallest blade on your grater. (A box grater is best). I found it easiest to grate them onto a cookie sheet. **Note: Potatoes will start oxidizing/turning brown. This does NOT affect taste. If you do not like this, you may add some citric acid powder the potatoes. After grating, strain all liquid from potatoes …