Raspberry Apple Kugel

When I lived on the Upper West Side, it seemed that every big singles Shabbos meal had to include several items, including the cranberry kugel. It was very easy to make: a can of cranberries, a couple of apples, mixed and spread out at the bottom of a large tin pan (for easy traveling and no clean-up). then mix up some flour, brown sugar and oats and crumble that on top. (Some people also crumble in an entire stick of margarine, but Classically Kosher thinks that is completely unnecessary, adds unneeded transfats and makes the kugel taste not discernably different because the fruit is so delicious on its own. But I digress.). Then bake at 375 for maybe 35 minutes. As soon as the fruit is bubbly and everything is melted and yummy, you're done.

Today, raspberries were on sale at the Farmer's Market for $1.50 a box, so I picked up five and didn't feel guilty about baking it into a fancy Shabbos kugel. Tart and delicate, raspberries add a nice modern feeling to this tried and true Shabbos side dish. Raspberries are also positively stuffed with antioxidents and are gorgeous to look at. The taste of baked raspberries is like no other.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I am going to! Shabbat Shalom.

5 boxes fresh raspberries, washed (or two bags frozen and thawed)
2 apples, roughly chopped
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar (if the raspberries are very tart)
1/2 cup boiling water (if the rasperries are not very juicy)

Spread the fruit at the bottom of the pan. Mix up the remaining dry ingredients and sprinkle over the raspberry mixture. Bake at 375 for half an hour and add boiling water if the raspberries do not seem to be releasing their juice. Bake an additional 15 to 30 minutes until the oatmeal is cooked and you can see the fruit bubbling through. Serve warm, if possible. It makes a big difference in the flavor.