Get ready to discover what may well become a new breakfast and brunch favorite. Photo courtesy Zabars.com.
March 2010
Last Updated May 2016
|
|
Recipe: Matzo Brei
Matzo, Matza, Matzoh, Matzah, Brei or Brie...Any Way You Spell It, It’s Delicious
CAPSULE REPORT: What’s for breakfast? Try Matzo brei. “Brei” means fried in Yiddish, so Matzo brei is fried matzo; but it’s also a cross between French toast and scrambled eggs. It’s one of our favorite dishes year-round; but it’s especially welcome during Passover, when observant Jews don’t eat leavened bread. Enjoy it for breakfast, brunch, lunch or a hot snack.
Overview
Originating among Central European Jews, matzoh brie (pronounced MOTT-so BRY) is matzo fried with eggs into a kind of frittata or scramble, depending on how you cook the dish. Everyone has his or her own favorite recipe. It can be served savory, with herbs, onions, smoked salmon or other inclusions; or sweet, topped with jam or syrup. See variations below.
Next, pick your favorite spelling of matzo. The many different spellings come from the different countries in Central Europe where matzo brei was born.
How many ways can you spell matzo? For starters: matzo, matza, matzoh or matzah; plurals matzo, matzos, matzus.
| A > A |
A > O |
O> A |
Matza
Matzah |
Matzo
Matzoh |
Motzah |
Matzo Brei Recipe
This recipe is adated from one by Andrea Watman, Creative Director at Zabar’s in New York City. You can use any type of matzoh
Ingredients For 4 Servings
- 6 plain matzo boards
- Hot water
- 5 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter for frying
- 1 tablespoon corn oil for frying (or you can use all butter or all oil)
- Sliced onion and garlic to taste (but not if you want to use syrup or preserves)
|
|
Matzo Brei hoto courtesy MilkAndMore.com. Here’s their recipe. |
Preparation
-
BREAK the matzo boards into pieces in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for approximately 1 minute and drain completely. Leave in bowl.
-
MIX the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a separate bowl and pour over matzo pieces. Be sure to mix well so that all the matzo pieces are covered in egg-and-milk mixture.
- HEAT the butter and/or corn oil in a 12” heavy fry pan. Add the onion and garlic to brown; then add the matzo mixture.
- BROWN and flip to brown other side. Some people prefer to turn the matzo brei “frittata style,” in large pieces. Others prefer to break up the mixture in the pan to create many more browned crunchy edges, “scramble style” (see photo above).
-
COOK until the edges are beginning to brown. Total cooking time: 5-10 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Matzo brei isn’t the prettiest food—neither are hash brown potatoes, which they resemble—but it tastes great.
Recipe Variations
Savory Matzo Brei Variations
- Onion Matzo Brei: sauté a chopped onion in the fry pan before adding the matzo mixture.
- Mushroom Onion Matzo Brei Sautéing ½ pound fresh sliced mushrooms and a chopped onion in the fry pan before adding matzoh mixture.
- Smoked Salmon Matzo Brei: Add 1/4 cup smoked salmon to the matzo mixture. Sauté a chopped onion in the fry pan before adding the matzo mixture.
- Freestyle Matzo Brei: Add your favorite ingredients—just as with an omelet. Try Green onions, roasted red pepper, leftover chicken—anything that catches your eye.
- Veggie Matzo Brei: Add chopped carrots, broccoli and cheese, with optional pesto sauce. Here’s the recipe.
Sweet Matzo Brei Variations
- Sugar & Spice Matzo Brei: Reduce salt to 1/8 teaspoon. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mix (half cinnamon, half granulated sugar) or confectioners’ sugar.
- Sweet Matzo Brei. Reduce salt to 1/8 teaspoon. Top with favorite preserves, marmalade, jam or syrup.
- If you like sweets, be sure to see our recipe for Caramel Matzo Buttercrunch, an addictively good dessert or snack.
Another Recipe: Matzo Brei With Broccoli & Cheddar
Lifestyle Direct, Inc. All rights reserved. Images are copyright of their respective owners.
|
