Recipe: 5-Fruit Kugel

5-FRUIT KUGEL
Source: Francine Prince's New Jewish Cuisine: More Than 175 Recipes for Holidays and Every Day by Francine Prince
Servings: 8 to 10

8 ounces medium-wide noodles
1/4 cup dark seedless raisins
12 pitted dates, cut in small pieces
10 soft pitted prunes, cut in small pieces
1 sweet apple, peeled and coarsely chopped (Golden Delicious or Washington State)
12 unsweetened canned pineapple chunks, drained and cut in small pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (or firmly packed light brown sugar)
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate (or frozen pineapple juice concentrate)
2 tablespoons melted sweet pareve margarine (or sweet margarine/butter blend) plus 1 1/2 teaspoons cold sweet pareve margarine (to grease casserole)
2 large egg yolks
3 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9- by 12-inch Pyrex casserole with shortening.

Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water until tender but not over-soft. Pour into a colander and drain well. Transfer to a large bowl.

Put raisins, dates, prunes, apple, and pineapple into a small bowl. Stir in lemon juice.

In a third bowl, combine and blend ricotta cheese (stir it up first), sour cream, honey, salt, spices, sugar, and concentrate. Stir in melted shortening. Put eggs into a cup and beat with a fork; combine with mixture. Pour over noodles and fold in. Then fold in fruits.

Fill prepared casserole with kugel, distributing fruit evenly. Cover tightly with a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until surface looks set (about 10 minutes). Remove from oven and place on a trivet to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces.

Serve warm or at room temperature. May be served as a side dish or a dessert.