Noodles with Poppy Seed & Raisins

This is a sweet noodle dish from the Eastern European Jewish kitchen, often called lokshen mit mohn. Buttered egg noodles get tossed with prepared poppy seed filling (the kind sold in cans for pastries), raisins, lemon zest, and vanilla. It can serve as a side with a roast or stand alone as a sweet dessert noodle.

Using canned poppy seed filling is the shortcut that makes this 20-minute dish possible. The filling is already sweetened, ground, and ready to coat noodles. Trying to make poppy seed paste from scratch involves grinding seeds in a special mill and is a project for a different day.

The lemon juice and zest are critical balancers. Without them, the dish would be cloyingly sweet from the prepared filling and raisins. Citrus brightness cuts through and gives the noodles a more complex flavor profile that makes them work alongside savory mains rather than tasting like dessert noodles.

Pro Tips

• Use wide egg noodles for the best texture. Thin noodles get lost under the rich filling.
• Cool the cooked noodles slightly before adding the butter and filling. Boiling-hot noodles can cause the filling to clump unevenly.
• Plump the raisins in hot water for 5 minutes before adding if they’re old or hard. Fresh raisins can be added straight in.
• Heat through gently at the end. Aggressive cooking dries out the noodles and the filling can scorch.

Variations

• Add 2 tablespoons of toasted slivered almonds for crunch.
• Substitute golden raisins or chopped dried apricots for a different fruit profile.
• Top with a dusting of powdered sugar and a dollop of sour cream for a more dessert-like presentation.