POTATO KUGEL

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 450 F.
• 2. In a medium pan, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering.
• 3. Add the shallots and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 6 minutes.
• 4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to a plate. Reserve the shallot oil.
• 5. Working in batches, squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible from the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl as you go.
• 6. Add the grated onion, potato starch (or cornstarch), salt, black pepper, and grated nutmeg. Stir well.
• 7. Stir in the whole eggs, egg yolks, olive oil, and boiling water. Then stir in the fried shallots.
• 8. Heat two 8-by-11 1/2-inch flameproof or enameled cast-iron baking dishes over high heat until they are very hot to the touch.
• 9. Add 2 tablespoons of the shallot oil to each baking dish and heat until smoking.
• 10. Carefully spread the potato mixture in the sizzling baking dishes.
• 11. Transfer the potato kugels to the oven and bake them for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 375° and bake the kugels for 40 minutes longer, until golden and crisp on the sides.
• 12. Preheat the broiler. Broil the potato kugels as close to the heat as possible for about 2 minutes, until they are browned and crisp on top.
• 13. Let the potato kugels stand for 20 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
• 14. These can be made ahead of time. The baked potato kugels can be refrigerated overnight and reheated in a 375 F oven until warm.