Matzah brei is the perfect dish to spend the Passover holiday while chametz (foods with leavening agents) is forbidden. The idea is simple - soak the matzah with cream, milk, or water, add scrambled egg and in most cases, that's all you'll need. Once you understand the principle of this dish you can also diversify alone and add whatever you want.
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The word brei means dough in German, as it was customary to soak the matzah in liquid until it was soaked and only then add the eggs. Many insist on calling matzah brei matzah-broyt, which is a bit ironic because the word "broyt" means bread in Yiddish.
But no matter what you call it, it will always be the official comfort food of Passover, so here are eight recipes for the ultimate Passover treat:
Stuffed matzah brei
Ingredients:
3/4 cup of heavy cream
1 egg
6 moist matzot, wrapped in a towel
Sweet options -
Chocolate spread, vanilla cream, sugar, cinnamon
Clarified butter or oil for frying.
Preparation method:
- Take the moist matzah, spread chocolate on it, fold it in half, and then fold it in half again.
- Repeat the process with the vanilla cream.
- In a bowl, mix together the sweet cream and egg until well combined.
- Dip the folded matzah in the mixture, making sure it is fully coated.
- Fry the matzah in oil or clarified butter for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
- Serve on a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar, or make a festive spring dish with fresh berries, whipped cream, honey, and sour cream. Another option is to serve it plain with a sprinkle of regular sugar.
Vegan Matzah Brei
Ingredients (2-3 servings):
4-5 Matzahs
3/4 cup of coarse cornmeal
1 can of coconut cream
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 small chopped chili pepper
A handful of chopped parsley
A small handful of mint leaves
Coarse salt
Olive oil
Preparation:
- In a bowl, mix the cornmeal, coconut cream, herbs, chili pepper, and coarse salt.
- Break the matzah into small pieces and dip them into the mixture for 15 minutes.
- Heat a little olive oil in a pan and pour in the mixture. Flatten it and cover for five minutes.
- Make sure to watch the mixture until the bottom part is crispy and firm, and the top is no longer liquid.
- To prevent the mixture from falling apart, quickly flip it onto a plate and slide it back into the pan to fry the other side.
Green Matzah Brei
Ingredients:
6-8 moistened matzahs, wrapped in a clean towel until slightly softened
4 eggs
1/8 cup of green onions, finely chopped
1/3 cup of parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup of dill, finely chopped
2-3 tablespoons of basil leaves, finely chopped
1/3 cup of mint, finely chopped
1/3 cup of coriander, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
Oil for frying.
Preparation:
- Scramble the eggs and add the chopped herbs. Break the matzahs into small pieces, add salt and pepper, and mix well.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium heat pan. Form patties and fry on both sides until golden brown.
Matzah Brei with kabanos
Ingredients (for 2 servings):
4 matzahs
1/2 cup water
5 eggs
2 tablespoons sweet cream
Salt and black pepper
1/2 onion, chopped
2 sliced cucumbers (optional)
5 sliced mushrooms
A handful of chopped parsley
Butter or oil for frying
Preparation:
- Break the matzah into pieces about 3-2 cm in size and transfer to a bowl.
- Add water and mix until absorbed. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs and 2 tablespoons of sweet cream to the bowl, season with a little salt and black pepper, and mix.
- Heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the onion until transparent and softened. Add the mushrooms and artichoke (if desired).
- Pour the matzah mixture into the pan and sprinkle the chopped parsley on top. Stir the mixture like scrambled eggs until it turns brown.
- Serving: Transfer the matzah brei to a serving plate and serve with cottage cheese and tomato salad.
Mediterranean matzah brei
Ingredients (3-4 servings):
4 matzos
1/2 cup of lukewarm milk
3 eggs
A pinch of sea salt
A pinch of coarse black pepper
A handful of chopped herbs: dill, parsley, and mint (together, half a cup)
Canola oil for frying
Cheese (optional)
Olives (optional)
Preparation:
- Break the matzah into pieces of your desired size in a bowl.
- Pour the soaked milk over the matzah and let it sit for a few minutes.
- Mix the scrambled eggs with spices and chopped herbs.
- Squeeze out the excess milk from the soaked matzah and add the egg mixture.
- Heat oil in a frying pan. When the pan is hot, pour in the matzah mixture in individual portions and fry on each side for 3 minutes. It is recommended to serve with cheese and olives, or with an additional sprinkle of cheese on the mixture.
Matzah stuffed with mashed potatoes and mushrooms
Ingredients:
8 moistened matzah, wrapped in a clean towel.
4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes.
A handful of fresh button mushrooms, sliced into strips.
1 medium-sized white onion, chopped.
Olive oil for frying.
2 fresh eggs.
Salt and pepper.
1 teaspoon sweet paprika.
Preparation:
- Cook the diced potatoes in a pot with water and a little salt until they soften. Strain them, add them to a bowl, and mash them.
- In a frying pan, sauté the chopped onion in olive oil until transparent. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes. Then, add the onion and mushrooms mixture to the mashed potatoes and mix well. Season with salt, pepper, and sweet paprika.
- Cut each matzo into four pieces. On each quarter of a matzo, spread a tablespoon and a half of the potato and mushroom mixture. Close with another quarter of matzo and dip in beaten eggs.
- Fry the matzo in a pan with oil on both sides until golden brown. Transfer to a plate with paper towels to absorb the excess oil, and serve.
Sweet Matzah
Ingredients:
4 Matzah
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
5 eggs
2 tablespoons sweet cream
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup broken walnuts
1 tablespoon butter for frying.
Preparation:
- Breaking the matzah into 3-2 cm pieces and transferring to a bowl.
- Adding milk, powdered sugar, and cinnamon, stirring well to combine flavors and setting aside for 5 minutes.
- Adding dark raisins and broken walnut pieces, and mixing. Adding 5 eggs and 2 tablespoons of sweet cream, and stirring well.
- In a buttered (preferably clarified) frying pan, fry the mixture like scrambled eggs until a brown color is obtained.
- Serving - transferring the fried matzah to a serving dish, sprinkling powdered sugar on top, and serving alongside fresh fruit and haroset.
Matza brei with date honey and honey
Ingredients:
6-8 moist matzahs
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons of date honey
4 eggs
1 tablespoon of sugar
A little oil for frying.
Preparation:
- Break the matzah into pieces and mix with honey, date honey, eggs, and sugar.
- Heat a pan with oil over medium heat.
- Take a large spoonful of the mixture and fry until golden on both sides.
- Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve with seasonal fruits.