Poppy and Grandma's Layered Rakott Crumpli From 'Joy of Kosher'

[Photograph: Andrew Purcell]

Rakott Crumpli is a rich Hungarian casserole made with layers upon layers of eggs, potatoes, sour cream, and bread cumbs. Jamie Geller's version in Joy of Kosher is a bit less dramatic, since she uses only 2 layers of each. Still, the dish retains all of classic comfort of the original—the creamy slivers of potato melt into the tangy cream and hearty eggs. Serve the casserole with a big green salad to balance it out.

Why I picked this recipe: Here was another dish totally new to my repertoire. I had to try it.

What worked: It's hard to go wrong with potatoes, eggs, and sour cream. The generous amount of salt used to build the casserole really made each component sing.

What didn't: Be sure to serve the dish hot from the oven. It doesn't hold up well as leftovers.

Suggested tweaks: To make the rakott crumpli Kosher for Passover, substitute matzoh meal for the bread crumbs. The recipe can be easily cut in half if you're serving a smaller group of people. Use a 1-quart baking dish.

As always with our Cook the Book feature, we have five (5) copies of Joy of Kosher to give away this week.

About the author: Kate Williams is a freelance writer and personal chef living in Berkeley, CA. She is a contributor to The Oxford American, KQED's Bay Area Bites, SFoodie, and Berkeleyside NOSH. She blogs at Cooking Wolves. Follow her @KateHWiliams.