Ah! It’s Matzoh time again. How many days do we have to eat this stuff? There are some great recipes being published using matzoh, yes that’s right turn cardboard into gourmet.
Here are a few of my family’s favorites.
Dirty Matzoh
From Matzoh Ball Gumbo, by Marcie Cohen Ferris
8-10 servings
1 tablespoon olive oil (omit if using cooked giblets)
1 cup chicken livers, finely chopped (vegetarian version 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
Salt and Pepper
9 pieces of unsalted matzoh, broken
1 stick of butter (margarine if using liver)
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
Garlic cloves, minced
½ cup parsley, chopped
3-4 teaspoons Creole seasoning
½ cup chicken stock (vegetable stock for vegetarian version)
1 large egg, scrambled
Preheat the oven to 350°. Generously grease a 9×9 inch glass baking dish or casserole.
If using the livers, heat the oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Carefully add the livers and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper. Cook, turning often and scraping the bottom of the pan, until livers are browned but still pink in the center, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl (don’t wash the skillet). Let livers cool slightly and then chop.
If you are making the vegetarian version cook mushrooms with the onion mixture.
Meanwhile, place the matzohs in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let stand, pressing them down into the water, until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain, pressing out the water and breaking up the matzohs with your hands. Dry the bowl; return matzohs to the bowl.
In the same skillet, over medium heat, melt all but 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion, celery and garlic and cook, stirring often, until tender, 8 minutes. Stir in the parsley, Creole seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Scrape the mixture into the matzohs.
Add the livers or giblets (or mushrooms), broth, and egg and mix well. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until the surface is browned and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes longer.
Matzo Toffee
by Penny Rich
Pack this treat in your child’s lunch box and watch how many friends he makes.
4 pieces of matzo
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts, I like pecans (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips, I like semi sweet
Break matzo into 2 inch square pieces and place on a non-stick pan. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and butter. Bring to a boil and continue to cook on low heat for 5 minutes until combine stirring constantly. Turn off heat add chopped nuts and pour over matzo. Bake at 350•F for 8 minutes. While matzo is baking melt chocolate chips in a microwave. Pour over the baked matzo and spread evenly to coat all the pieces. Refrigerate until chocolate sets up.
Matzo Nachos
By Brody Rich-Voorhees
3 squares of matzo
2-3 tablespoons hot salsa
1/4 cup cheddar/jack cheese, shredded
Break matzo in pieces resembling corn chips. Place 1/2 the pieces on a plate top with some salsa and cheese. Do a second layer ending with cheese. Pop in the microwave for 1-2 minutes depending on the power of you microwave. YUM!
Matzo Pizza
By Penny Rich
Serves 4
3 eggs
2 cups matzo, broken in 2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add the matzo, salt and pepper blend well.
Heat the oil in a 9-inch nonstick skillet. Add the egg mixture and cook until the eggs set and the bottom of the crust is golden brown. Slip the crust onto a large plate and invert back into the skillet onto the uncooked side. Cook for 2 minutes until brown. Remove pan from heat.
Spoon the tomato sauce over the top of the crust and top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake the pizza in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Remove the pizza from the oven and cut into wedges.
*If you non-stick pan has a plastic handle, cover with a double layer of foil before placing in the oven to cook.
My Favorite
1 square of Matzoh
Fresh butter from Mapleview Farm
Kosher salt
Yep you go it. Spread the butter on the matzoh, pinch a little salt on top and consume. Wash down with wine. {not the sweet stuff. Yuck!}
