The Rocks: Matzo Balls

Photo by Rachel Dedrickson

Dreary weather has settled in Seattle.  It’s cold, it’s gloomy, and it’s nothing a dose of vitamin D can cure. Let’s not lie, crappy weather can get to the head.

But… if you’re a Seattleite, you have probably pulled out your trusty Hunter boots, added an additional cup of Joe to the morning coffee brew, and headed out the door sans an umbrella (note: Seattleites don’t use umbrellas. I know! Totally weird). It’s Seattle and the weather is gross. We got over this fact a while ago.

Thanks to the weather inspiration, and a loving auntie who showed me how to make the most important component for any soup equation (homemade chicken soup), I was equipped and confident in taking a stab at my long awaited desire to make the family matzo ball soup recipe. It was the perfect project to warm me from the inside out. Matzo ball soup makes any Jewish girl sunny.

Anyway, to my surprise, a few myths were debunked during my matzo ball making adventure.

For one, I always believed making matzo balls would be a lengthy and extensive process. Our family only enjoys matzo ball soup during Passover. What I found out, however, is that matzo balls are the simplest component of matzo ball soup. It’s the chicken soup that takes the time and patience. Well, I already had that done. Check!

Secondly, our family always refers to Aunt Julie’s matzo balls as “the rocks”. They are extra dense and, well, rock-like. Of course, we say this in a loving way. “The rocks” are all I know, and everything I love about matzo ball soup.

I figured Aunt Julie must have a secret matzo ball recipe. Little did I know, all I had to do was follow the back of a Streit’s Matzo Meal box and double the matzo meal measurement. Gee whiz!  I wish I’d attempted making matzo balls sooner.

I’m very proud of the end product. I froze a bunch of the matzo balls alongside my chicken soup-filled gefilte fish jars. Now, when the weather calls for it, I can just pull it out and heat it up.

Good-bye, dreary weather and bad mood. Bring it on. Matzo ball soup is here to save us!

What do you cook or bake do when the weather gets you down?

Matzo Ball Recipe (from Streit’s Matzo Meal box)

1 c 2 c Streit's Matzo Meal


4 large eggs


1/4 c schmaltz (rendered chicken fat....oil works as a substitute)


1/4 c water

1 tsp salt


Beat eggs. Add water, schmaltz, and salt.  Mix well. Add matzo meal and stir thoroughly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Partially fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Moisten palms with cold water and form mixture into balls, about 1 inch in diameter.  Drop matzo balls into boiling water.

When all the matzo balls are in the pot, reduce heat to low. Simmer covered for about 30 minutes or until done.  Remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.

Remove 2-3 matzo balls into a smaller serving bowl. Add chicken soup and baby carrots. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Photo by Rachel Dedrickson

Matzah Brei



Photo by Rachel Dedrickson

 Think of matzah brei (pronounced MAHT-zoh BRY; Hebrew: מצה ברייט) the same way you would think of French toast, but sans the bread. But isn’t bread the point of French toast, you ask? Yes, but matzah is the point of matzah brei.

Typically matzah brei is a breakfast dish enjoyed during Passover, when Jews forgo all leavened bread. The meal is simply matzah briefly soaked in eggs and pan-fried in butter.

It can be savory or sweet, as the fried delight is usually served with a sauce or topping. Sauces can range from salsa to apple sauce to cinnamon and sugar. I, for one, have grown up with cinnamon and sugar dusted over the top.

A great way to start the day following the Passover seder is with matzah brei. We are a reform Jewish family, meaning we interpret Judaism and its traditions as culture and tradition-based and understand Jewish law as a set of guidelines to strive for. We are not orthodox (consequently, Mom recently discovered Gram’s Passover carrot ring has been made with flour all these years). We do our best to stay away from leavened bread, and matzah brei is a great attempt to do so....but we are not perfect!

Growing up, Mom would occasionally cook up a batch for us kids, and we’d sit with our legs dangling from the stools that nestled up to the kitchen bar facing towards the stove. Pajamas and bed head were not discriminated against. Matzah brei was for all, along with a large cup of our beloved “coffee milk” (coffee, milk and lots of sugar).

Since I decided to delve into family and food history, I’ve had my eye on the Jewish section of every grocery store I enter. On my last trip to the store, I picked up a box of matzah and decided to give matzah brei a stab for Saturday morning breakfast, coffee and newspaper consumption. It turned out great!

If you have ever been curious about matzah – what it is, how to eat it, what it tastes like – give this super simple matzah brei recipe a try. It’s easy to make and impossible not to devour. Try a cup of “coffee milk” alongside it. Make sure to bring your bed head and pajamas to the kitchen table too!


Matzah Brei


INGREDIENTS
1 sheet of Matzah
2 tablespoons hot water
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter or canola oil
Cinnamon and sugar for topping (or try apple sauce, salsa, or jam if you wish)


INSTRUCTIONS
 1. Break matzah into small pieces and put in bowl with hot water

2. In another bowl, beat the egg with a fork

3. Melt butter or heat oil in frying pan over medium heat

4. Pour over matzah and that pour into hot pan

5. Let mixture become golden brown. Flip and cook the other side to golden brown as well.

6. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and serve immediately

Photo by Rachel Dedrickson