What is Matzah? / Matzah Ball Soup Recipe

matzoh meal

🥗Healthier: quinoa flour

💰Cheaper: bread crumbs

Quinoa flour is gluten-free, while bread crumbs are more affordable.

chicken broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water with bouillon cubes

Vegetable broth is lower in calories, while bouillon cubes are cost-effective.

Introduce the dish as matzo ball soup, a classic Passover dish.

Explain the history of matzah and its significance in Jewish cuisine.

Add a whole roasted chicken to a stockpot.

Add a bunch of dill and parsley, chopped carrots, chopped parsnip, leeks (washed thoroughly), a quartered onion, and 10 smashed garlic cloves to the pot.

Cover everything with water and add salt.

Let the mixture simmer for as long as possible, ideally 8 hours, to develop flavor.

After simmering, put the pot in the fridge overnight to let the fat separate.

Scoop out the fat (schmaltz) and put it in the freezer to cool quickly.

In a bowl, crack 2 eggs and lightly beat them.

Add 1/2 cup of matzo meal, 2 tablespoons of schmaltz, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, a bit of pepper, and a bit of salt to the eggs.

Add 2 tablespoons of seltzer water and mix everything together.

Store the matzo mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Pull apart the chicken from the broth, discarding any nasty bits and saving the protein.

Put the stock back on heat and bring it to a simmer.

Wet your hands and form ping-pong sized balls from the matzo mixture and drop them into the simmering broth.

Cook the matzo balls in the broth for about 40 minutes.

About 5 minutes before the matzo balls are done, add the chopped chicken bits back into the broth to heat through.

Serve the soup with a good amount of chicken, broth, and matzo balls, garnished with dill or other herbs.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens