Slice Of Life

Recipes

Written by Eileen Goltz

Thursday, 31 March 2011 10:20

As Pesach draws near, thoughts turn toward all things spiritual and religious, and inevitably the ultimate culinary question of the holiday rears its ugly head: will it be floaters or sinkers in the chicken soup this year?

For close to 40 years, my friend and short-order-cooking alter ego Dan and I have carried on a running debate as to which is the ultimate, supreme, and, dare I say it, best kind of matzah ball. I contend that my motherâ€™s sinkers are the closest thing to manna that we mere mortals will ever taste. He scoffs and touts his lighter, fluffier, and oh so less filling floaters. (Heâ€™s wrong.) I will leave the ultimate disposition of which variety is the best to my readers (Hillel and Shamai having never rendered an opinion on this topic) and give you the best information I know of to help you in your quest to find the best.

Flavor and texture can be built in several ways. For texture, the most common method is to use plenty of stiffly beaten egg whites, which adds fluffiness. You can roll the balls to make them slightly compact. Alternatively, you can use fewer eggs and add baking powder (not my preference but some people swear by it) for an extremely light texture.

In my opinion, adding water or seltzer to a recipe doesnâ€™t really contribute anything substantial taste- or texture-wise. The following recipes are all family-and-friend-tested and run the gamut from classic to really way out there. The truth is there is only one truth when it comes to matzah ballsâ€”floater, sinker, baked, boiled, or stuffed, theyâ€™re all delicious when shared with family and friends.

Julieâ€™s Bubbyâ€™s Matzah Balls

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1/2 cup club soda
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil or chicken fat (schmaltz)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup matzah meal

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk eggs until just blended. Add club soda, vegetable oil or schmaltz, salt, and pepper. Go easy on the salt. Blend in the parsley and matzah meal. Cover and refrigerate this mixture for about 1 hour.

Bring about 5 quarts of water to boil. Rub vegetable oil on hands and form matzah balls with about two tablespoons of mixture. Drop in boiling water and simmer covered and donâ€™t peek (okay, maybe once or twice), for about 25 to 35 minutes.

Submitted by Julie Materberg, Pittsburgh PA

Herbed Matzah Balls

Ingredients:

4 large eggs, beaten
6 Tbsp. seltzer or club soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup matzah meal
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill
1 tsp. ground ginger

Directions:

In a bowl, combine eggs, seltzer, oil, salt, and pepper. Stir in matzah meal and herbs. Cover and refrigerate the mixture 2 hours. With wet hands, shape matzah balls into 2 1/2â€ balls. Boil 4 quarts of water or broth and add the matzah balls to boiling hot soup or water. Cover and simmer the matzah balls for about 15 minutes (donâ€™t peek). Makes 14 to 16 matzah balls.

Low-Cholesterol Matzah Balls

Ingredients:

1 cup matzah meal
salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 package egg substitute equal to 4 eggs
1/4 cup low-fat chicken broth
1 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley, optional

Directions:

Place matzah meal in medium bowl with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. In another bowl combine the egg substitute, broth, and parsley. Pour the egg substitute mixture over the matzah meal and mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or longer. Fill large pot with 4 to 5 quarts of water. Season to taste with salt, then bring to boil. Moisten hands with cold water. Form dough into 10 to 12 medium-size balls and drop them into the boiling water. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Remove carefully with slotted spoon. Makes 10 to 12 matzah balls.

Stuffed And Baked Matzah Balls

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil for greasing muffin pans
4 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup matzah meal
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
6 Tbsp. chicken soup or water

Filling:

1 onion, chopped extra fine
2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. matzah meal
1 egg yolk
salt and freshly ground pepper
dash of cinnamon
water
oil
12 cups chicken soup

Directions:

Grease cups of a 12-cup muffin pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and oil together. Stir in the matzah meal, salt, and parsley. Add the chicken soup or water. Refrigerate 1 hour or more, to absorb the liquid. Meanwhile, make the filling. Fry onion in oil or chicken fat over medium heat until it is very crisp. Cool slightly and then mix in 2 tablespoons matzah meal and egg yolk. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cinnamon.

Dip palms of your hands in cold water. Form 12 matzah balls from the refrigerated mixture, making them about the diameter of a 50-cent piece, wetting your hands as needed to keep them from sticking. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of filling into the middle of the matzah ball and close well.

Fill a 6-quart pot with a lid with salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and drop in the matzah balls. Cover pot and cook just at a simmer for 30 minutes or until plump. Remove matzah balls with a slotted spoon and put them in the greased muffin tins. Coat each matzah ball with a little oil and bake in preheated 350Â° oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown. To serve, place one matzah ball in the center of a soup bowl and spoon chicken soup over. Makes 12 matzah balls or 6 servings.

Potato Leek Matzah Balls

This is a very different kind of matzah ball!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only; from 4 large)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups matzah meal
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
6 large eggs
1 Tbsp. salt

Directions:

Steam potatoes until very tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer potatoes to large bowl and mash well. Combine 2 cups leeks and broth in heavy medium saucepan; bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cover and cook until leeks are tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and boil until mixture is reduced to scant 1 1/4 cups, about 7 minutes. Transfer to processor and blend until smooth. Add to mashed potatoes. Add matzah meal, oil, and pepper and blend very well.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs and salt in medium bowl until thick, about 8 minutes. Fold egg mixture into potato mixture in 3 additions; fold in remaining 2 cups leeks. Brush 15â€ x 10â€ x 2â€ glass baking dish generously with olive oil. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Using wet hands, form 1 rounded tablespoon potato mixture into ball; place on sheet of moistened foil. Make about 17 more and drop into water.

Cover tightly, reduce heat to medium, and boil until matzah balls are cooked through and tender, about 35 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer matzah balls to prepared dish. Refill water in pot if necessary; add more salt and return to boil. Repeat with remaining potato mixture. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly, cover with foil, and chill. Steam 10 minutes or bake covered at 350Â° for 25 minutes to re-warm.) Makes about 36.