This Pumpkin Noodle Babka is my recreation of a fall dish Babunia, my Ukrainian maternal grandmother Julianna Bulawka, improvised for Didunio, my grandfather Vasyl Bulawka. It unites sweet cheese, sour cream custard with egg noodles and pumpkin, Ukraine’s favorite fall ingredient, in a noodle bake (she called harbuzova babka* or kugel (гарбузова бабка or куґель) —a winning combination.
Local pumpkins
I did not realize until I was an adult that Didunio was essentially a vegetarian, not for moral or philosophical reasons as is common today. His lifelong eating habits originated in a childhood of poverty when meat was rarely affordable. Didunio’s daily diet was based on domestically grown ingredients: beans, peas, potatoes, assorted cereals – millet, buckwheat, wheat, rye – in porridge, bread or noodles, garden vegetables, eggs and dairy.
When he married Babunia in 1912, he joined a more affluent family with some land and a homestead with a few cows, hogs, chickens, geese, and a large vegetable garden. While his diet improved, he preferred plain food, a Ukrainian version of cucina povera (cuisine of the poor)—the peasant food he was raised on.
Even in their married household with three children, meat was still a rarity, not a daily occurrence on the dining table. Hogs raised from piglets were butchered in autumn and early spring so that the meat could be cured and smoked for Christmas and Easter. Better cuts of meat – hams, roasts, and sausages were on the holiday table when Didunio departed from his usual meatless diet. Lesser cuts of meat — bacon, salo and other byproducts would flavor dishes in the intervening months. Occasionally, Babunia sacrificed a hen, which stopped laying for the stew pot. Otherwise, choice meat cuts, milk, pot cheese and eggs were sold at the market.
Babunia cooked instinctively, repeating dishes her mother cooked when Babunia was a child. She did not follow written recipes. She had a large repertoire, cooking by muscle memory of what she learned from her mother and other women. Babunia’s cooking style never wavered, even after their two daughters, Raisa (Mama) and Hanna, who read Ukrainian women’s magazines filled with recipes, introduced fancier, elegant big-city dishes.
Except for Christmas and Easter, during the 28 years that our lives overlapped, Didunio’s eating pattern mirrored his peasant upbringing: a substantial breakfast, a hot midday meal, a late afternoon chunk of bread with a simple topping, and a light supper. Didunio found comfort in hearty food: buckwheat, millet, barley or bulgur kasha with milk or crisped bacon for breakfast; thick beet or sorrel borshch, bean or pea soup with bread and cheese or herring for lunch, and leftover porridge or a noodle dish with milky tea for supper. Babunia prepared this diet for 59 years.
Pumpkin was often added to millet and rice porridge, which Didunio enjoyed with milk and honey for supper. Noddle bakes, however, were a treat. Depending on available ingredients, Babunia’s noodle bakes were different every time but delicious, nonetheless. Homemade noodles, fresh eggs, farmer’s cheese and sour cream were the essential ingredients. Sometimes, these noodle babkas were savory: for example, made with shredded carrots or hard cheese with garlic or mushrooms or leftover meat, cheese, and herbs; sometimes, they were sweet with apples, pears, other fresh and dried fruit, and raisins. Sweet noodle puddings were my favorite for a child with a sweet tooth for their golden, caramelized crust. I loved crunching on the crispy noodles on top of the creamy babka.
The origin of sweet noodles babkas in Babunia’s culinary repertoire is unknown, but her deft preparation arose from years of experience. I wondered why she occasionally referred to these babkas as kugel, until I realized that before she emigrated to America, Luboml, the 11th century C.E. multicultural, market town of 15,000 inhabitants she lived in, was until World War II half Jewish and half gentile, where Orthodox churches, Catholic churches and synagogues existed side-by-side. Undoubtedly, the Yiddish term kugel was part of the local culinary lexicon.
Pumpkin Noodle Babka ingredients
Essential ingredients: Noodle babkas are made from simple pantry ingredients with numerous options.
Noodles: Wide, flat egg noodles are a traditional choice, but pappardelle, fettuccine, or tagliatelle are good substitutes.
Eggs: Fresh, large eggs are essential to make the custard, which creates the velvety filling that binds the babka as it bakes.
Cheese: Traditionally, a homemade cheese called domashniy or tvoroh (домашний or творог) is the cheese of choice. It is available in some Eastern European delis in North America. But a dry, large curd cottage or farmers’ cheese or cream cheese combined with sour cream makes an excellent substitute.
Sweetener: White granulated sugar is the usual sweetener. Brown sugar can add a complex, deep, caramel or toffee-like flavor.
Fresh fruit/vegetables: Apples, pears, peaches, plums, carrots, pumpkin, winter squash and spinach can be added to a noodle babka or omitted altogether. Raw pumpkin and winter squash need precooking before adding to the filling.
Dried fruit: Raisins, apricots, figs, cranberries, or blueberries are standard dried fruit options.
Crunchy topping: Buttered breadcrumbs are a traditional topping, but nuts or seeds or a streusel topping of brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter can also provide crunch.
Spices and flavorings: Sweet spices such as cinnamon (the usual flavoring in Ukraine) and/or vanilla, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and lemon or orange zest are often enhance a sweet noodle babka. But garlic, black or red pepper, or paprika can also be added to savory babkas.
A Pumpkin Noodle Babka can be assembled quickly and baked a day before serving. It keeps well for several days in the refrigerator and maintains its texture and flavor when gently reheated. It cuts beautifully into servings.
This Pumpkin Noodle Babka is delicious any time of day. It makes a perfect breakfast, brunch dish, or even dessert. It presents a symphony of textures and flavors: a slightly sweet, eggy, airy pudding-like center with caramelized bottom and edges, a subtle sugar pumpkin taste and crispy browned noodles dotting the top. The honey-roasted pumpkin seed garnish adds an irresistible, sweet, nutty crunch and glistening jewel-like topping. For me, only a drizzle of honey is needed. Savoring a square of this noodle babka brings back loving memories of childhood.
This Pumpkin Noodle Babka is gently sweet. If you prefer a sweeter babka taste, a warm slice with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar can satisfy every sweet tooth.
Pumpkin Noodle Babka
9 ounces (250 g) wide egg noodles
4 tablespoons white breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1.3 pounds (600 g) fresh pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded and grated
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons water
3.5 ounces (100 g) unsalted butter)
10.5 ounces (300 g) farmers’ cheese **
3.5 ounces (100 g) dark raisins, plumped in boiling water
3.5 ounces (100 g) granulated sugar
3.5 ounces (100 g) brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1.5 cups (375 g) sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cloves
For garnish (optional):
1.5 cup (56.5 g) raw pepitas, shelled pumpkin seeds ***
2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne (optional)
Preparing noodles: Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter and coat with breadcrumbs. Set aside.
Prepared baking pan
Cook noodles to al dente stage in plenty of boiling salted water, following package instructions. Drain pasta but do not rinse. Spread noodles in thin layer on a lightly oiled parchment-lined sheet pan, separating clumps. Set aside to cool.
Preparing pumpkin
Preparing pumpkin: Melt the remaining butter in a large skillet. Add grated pumpkin plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and sauté until the pumpkin starts to soften. Then add 4 tablespoons of water. Cover with a lid and steam for 15 minutes on low heat. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Set aside.
Grated pumpkin on the left; cooked on the right
Preparing raisins: Pour boiling water over raisins in a heat-proof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and steep for 30 minutes. Drain raisins, lightly squeeze out water and set aside.
Raw pumpkin seeds – pepitas
Preparing honey-roasted pumpkin seed garnish (optional): Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC). Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix garnish ingredients in a bowl. Spread seeds on the prepared sheet pan.
Roast in the oven for 6 minutes, tossing once halfway through. The seeds should be glazed with honey. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on parchment paper. The seeds will seem soft and clump together when taken out of the oven. Quickly separate the seeds, which will harden as they cool. Once cooled completely, store in an airtight container. Makes 1.5 cups.
Preparing farmers’ cheese: Place cheese, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is creamy and smooth. (Farmers’ cheeses come in varying drynesses and densities. Add a few tablespoons of milk to soften the cheese, if necessary). Scrape down the beater and the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
Add sour cream, vanilla, and spices, and continue beating at medium speed until combined and creamy. Scrape down the beater and sides of the bowl with a spatula.
Then, beat in eggs, adding one at a time just as the prior addition is mixed into the batter. After eggs are incorporated, scrape down the beater, sides, and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, ensuring everything is incorporated, and continue to beat for an additional minute until smooth.
Assembling and baking: Transfer the cheese batter to a large bowl. Gently fold in the cooled noodles, pumpkin, and raisins, turning several times to coat the ingredients thoroughly.
Babka ready to bake
Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Tap the pan on the kitchen counter several times to settle the mixture and eliminate bubbles. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and slide the dish into the oven, and bake for 25 minutes. Check for browning, if babka is starting to color, loosely cover top with foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes. Then, check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Babka should be set, soft but not liquid at 160ºF (71ºC) internal temperature. Remove the babka from the oven. If 160ºF (71ºC) is not reached or the babka filling is not set, continue baking for 10 minutes and check again.
Baked babka
Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with honey-roasted pumpkin seeds.
Serves 12-16
Pumpkin Noodle Babka with honey-roasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of honey
*In Ukrainian cuisine, the term “babka” has several meanings: 1) a tall-cylindrical Easter sweet bread; 2) a dish that is formed and baked in a tall cylindrical container, greased and coated with crumbs, which, when unmolded, looks similar to a bread babka; and 3) a layered dish of noodles or rice or potatoes with other ingredients.
**Farmers’ cheese is available in grocery stores under the Lifeway brand, at some Whole Foods Markets and online. Farmers’ cheese is easy to make at home at https://www.olgainthekitchen.com/homemade-farmers-cheese/.
***Pepitas are pumpkin seeds from hull-less varieties like Syrian or Oil Seed Pumpkins. Pepitas are meatier than seeds from Halloween or pie pumpkins, which are encased in a hard hull. Pepitas are available in Mexican grocery stores or online.
Photo credits: All photos: Slava Johnson
One year ago: https://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/romanian-mushroom-soup/
Two years ago: https://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/crustless-pumpkin-cheesecake-ukraine/
Three years ago: https://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/wisconsin-corn-chowder/
Four years ago: https://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/monkfish-shrimp-rice-arroz-de-tamboril-com-gambas/
Five years ago: https://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/viennese-poppy-seed-torte-mohntorte/
Six years ago: https://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/cranberry-cream-tart/
Seven years ago: https://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/cranberry-cream-tart/
Eight years ago: https://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/spiral-stromboli-three-fillings/
Nine years ago: https://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/istanbul-and-turkish-meze/
Ten years ago: https://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/norwegian-pear-cake-not-lost-in-translation/