Step 1

Slowly caramelize the chopped onion in skillet using a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Let it cook low and slow – you don’t want to sear it but rather slowly caramelize them. If you have za’atar, add in a tablespoon while the onions are cooking. If not, add in a teaspoon of thyme and a dash of salt and pepper.

Step 2

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. If you like a really crispy crust, add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil or vegetable oil to the bottom of your kugel pan and preheat the whole pan with the oil in it in the oven while you preheat.

Step 3

While the onions are cooking and the oven is preheating, shred the potatoes using the shredder disc of your food processor. Shred the carrots and half of an onion as well. Put all the shredded vegetables in a large mixing bowl.

Step 4

Add the three eggs, ½ cup of flour or matzo meal, 1/3 cup of chopped parsley and the cooked and slightly cooled onions plus a quarter cup of the oil. Add a teaspoon of pepper and 2 teaspoons of salt (less or more as you prefer). Mix well.

Step 5

When the kugel mixture is ready, carefully remove the hot kugel pan from the oven. Put the potato mixture in the hot pan. Brush another 1-2 tablespoons of oil on top and sprinkle it either with Aleppo pepper or paprika for the color and the flavor.

Step 6

Bake for 1 hour, then broil it for about 3 minutes to really get that “burnt” top that my Aunt Trudy loved. *NOTE: If you use a pyrex (glass) baking dish then skip the broiling. Glass pans can shatter if put under high broiling heat. So if you want Aunt Trudy's "burnt" top - be sure to use a non-glass baking pan!

Step 7

The deeper your pan, the longer the kugel will take to bake. Shallower pan, slightly less time. And don't use a glass pan if you want to broil at the end.