Mandavortchinek is a unique kugel from Galicia (a historic region in today’s Ukraine and Poland.) The kugel is made with grated potato and onions and mixed with a basic yeasted dough, then baked in a ring bundt cake pan or a loaf pan. The kugel comes out of the oven very crispy on the outside and chewy and dense inside in the most comforting way.
According to Israeli food writer Nira Russo, The name mandavortchinek comes from the name of the German town Magdeburg, a town long known for its potatoes, located about 600 miles from Galicia. In Yiddish, the “nik” suffix (“nek” here,) refers to a person or a thing that comes from a certain place or associated with a specific quality (like nudnik or kibbutznik.) Since the suffix was adapted in America, this kugel got the name potatonik in the USA.
Totch is a similar kugel that comes from Bukovina, a historic region in today’s north Romania and Ukraine. Totch always includes grated potatoes and onions, but prepared in a few different versions. One of the versions is very similar to the mandavortchnek, and include the same mixture of flour and yeast (the others are fried in a pan, like a pancake or a large latke, and can be served during Hanukkah.)
The way to serve Mandarotchinek is to spread a slice with butter or sour cream, but you can serve as a side as you would with any kugel.
Galician potato and yeast dough kugel (miandavortchinek or potatonik)
Course: Pastries u0026amp; Breads, SidesCuisine: Ukranian, Ashkenazi, Romanian, Jewish, totch, bukovinaDifficulty: Medium9
inch round kugel15
minutes1
hour1
hour2
hours15
minutesI highly recommend using SAF Instant yeast (it’s available online and can keep for months in the fridge.)
When using instant yeast, you should skip the process of proofing the yeast.
If you’re using active dry yeast, start the recipe by proofing the yeast and continue as usual.
INGREDIENTS
6 medium Yukon gold or Russet potatoes (30 oz. to 36 oz. in weight)
3 cups all purpose flour
6 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons instant yeast (or active dry yeast, see note above)
1 tablespoon sugar
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons corn or any mild flavored oil
2 medium yellow onions
4 teaspoons Kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Oil spray
DIRECTIONS
- Peel and grate potato on a large hole grater. Transfer to a colander over a large bowl and set aside.
- If you’re using ACTIVE DRY YEAST skip to instruction number 3.
If you’re using INSTANT YEAST, put flour, yeast and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer and mix with a fork. Add water and mix again.
Skip to instruction number 4. - Using active dry yeast, put flour in a bowl of a stand mixer and make a well in the center. Pour warm water in the well, then add yeast and sugar. Mix water, yeast and sugar gently and let the yeast foam for about 10 minutes.
- Add eggs and oil to dough and mix with the flat beater (not the dough hook!) just to incorporate.
- Grate onion on large hole grater, squeeze all liquid out and add to dough.
- Use your hands to squeeze all the liquid out of the potatoes, but keep that liquid in the bowl. Add grated potatoes to dough. Gently discard all the liquid accumulated from potatoes in the bowl. You will notice a thin layer of starch at the bottom of the bowl, scrape it into the dough as well (it is completely fine if you don’t.)
- Add salt and pepper to dough and mix with the flat beater until incorporated.
- Remove bowl from mixer, cover with a towel and let stand for 1 to 1½ hours for the dough to rise. It will not rise a lot, and this is fine.
- Turn oven to 400 F degrees. Grease a ring pan or 2 loaf pans.
- Pour dough into pan, spray the top with oil and bake for 60 minutes, until set in the center (or 45 minutes, if you’re using 2 loaf pans.) You want the top to be crispy and golden-brown.
- Serve immediately with butter or sour cream and with a side of dill pickles.
- Kugel keeps covered in the fridge up to 5 days.
What is the weight of the potatoes? Size of the potatoes? Or, volume in cups of grated potatoes. Otherwise, it is difficult to know the right quantity, more or less.
Thanks for the question, Barbara. the weight should be between 30 oz to 36 oz for the potatoes. I’ll add it to the recipe.
Thank you! I will make this!