Why it works: Potato and onion are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 3% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,023 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Kugelis
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Combine the grated potatoes and onions.
Fry and crumble bacon.
Add the crumbled bacon and ¼ cup bacon fat to the potato mixture. Mix well.
Make the batter
Beat the eggs, and stir in the evaporated milk, melted butter, salt, and pepper.
Mix the egg mixture into the potato mixture.
Bake and serve
Pour into a well-greased 9x13-inch cake pan, which should just barely fit.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 90 minutes.
Slice into squares, and top with sour cream or applesauce.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 8 of 9 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Potato | 1 medium (173g) baked | 161 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bacon | 1 slice cooked (8g) | 43 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Dripping | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Potato + oniontop 3% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,023 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Potato + peppertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together8,305 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Onion + peppertop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together68,474 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Potato + buttertop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together6,456 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
-
Onion + buttertop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together42,912 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Potatoes
- Form the bulk of the pudding and give it a starchy, tender body.
- Eggs
- Bind the mixture and set it into a sliceable custard-like structure as they bake.
- Evaporated milk
- Adds moisture and richness, keeping the dense potato mass from drying out.
- Bacon
- Contributes savory flavor and rendered fat that enriches the pudding.
- Butter
- Adds fat and richness, contributing to a tender crumb and flavor.
- Onions
- Add savory aroma and flavor that balances the mild potatoes.
The step that matters
Bake long enough to set the center. The pudding is a dense mass of grated potato with eggs and milk. The eggs must coagulate fully throughout, so the full 90 minutes at 350°F is needed for a set, sliceable result.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (potato, butter, egg, evaporated milk, pepper):
- Capsicumfits better
- Chivefits about as well
- Onionthe original
- Spinachfits about as well
Fit is the average pairing score against potato, butter, egg, evaporated milk, pepper. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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