March 26, 2013

Matzah Ballz – 2 Ways

There’s one Ashkenazic food that everyone loves, and that’s Matzah balls. Passover Matzah Balls are a basic staple in any household these days.

I remember my Mom’s and they were excellent, not heavy at all. This version uses olive oil instead of the traditional fat, schmaltz, rendered chicken fat which is just too heavy for my taste.

Makes about 8 balls
2 Tbsp of oil
2 eggs – slightly beaten
1/2 cup matzoh meal – or Matzah sheets processed (but not enough to turn to powder)
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. soup stock or water
Mix oil and eggs together and add Matzah meal and salt, which were first mixed together.
When well blended, add stock or water and cover the mixing bowl and place in fridge for 1/2 hour.
Using a 2 or 3 quart pot, bring salted water to a brisk boil. Reduce flame and into the slightly boiling water, drop balls formed from mixture by adding moisture to your hands when necessary in forming them.
Cover pot and do not open until 1/2 hour of simmered to boil.
Have soup at room temperature or warmer and remove Matzah balls from the water and into the soup. When ready to serve allow the soup to simmer about 5 minutes.

Alternatively another punt at Matzoh balls and soup;

The ingredients are as follows:

2 eggs beaten
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup Matzah meal
1/4 – 1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (optional)

Combine the beaten eggs, oil, and Matzah meal.

Add 1/4 cup water, salt, and ginger. If the mix seems stiff enough to roll into a hard ball, add more water by tablespoons till it’s a stiff mixture, not a firm dough.

Cover the mixture and put it in the fridge for 2 hours. This step is important if you want light Matzah balls. The batter can rest, refrigerated, up to 8 hours or overnight.

Have a medium pot with plenty of boiling, lightly salted water ready. With wet hands, form walnut-sized balls of dough, and drop them in. Cover and cook the Matzah balls over a medium flame for 20-30 minutes. Lower the heat so that the water simmers after the initial boil.

Remove the Matzah balls from the water and either set them aside for later or put them in your soup right away, or drain them for later use.

Matzah balls may be cooked directly in the soup, but you may find that the result is heavier.

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