One of the dishes my husband grew up with is Matzah Brie. It’s less a recipe and more a way to use up the extra boxes of matzah crackers around. My husband introduced this to me and I fell in love with it immediately. It’s almost like egg chilaquiles. That might be a bit of a stretch, but it’s the closest I could identify with. Instead of spice, it’s sweet. And though I’m new to it, matzah has been around for a loooooong time.
It’s Biblical
For eight days during the week of Passover, observant Jews are not allowed to have unleavened bread, that is, bread with yeast. According to tradition, when the Jewish slaves fled Egypt with Moses, they didn’t have enough time to make proper bread, so they created matzah—a hard bread made out of only wheat flour and water and baked in the sun. They took that on their journey to sustain them in the desert all those years ago, and today still remains an important part of the Passover tradition.
What is Matzah?
Matzah is cracker-like, bland, and not very tasty, which is probably why at the end of Passover week, there’s a ton leftover. The first time I had Passover at my in-laws, they had boxes and boxes of it everywhere. That should have been a huge clue as to what I would be eating.
There are plenty of creative ways to use up all the leftover matzah, one of which is making matzah brie. Matzah brei is matzah soaked in egg and fried in butter, then served with a little syrup. This is the way my mother-in-law made it for me, and it is the way I make for my own kids so they remember their grandparent’s traditions.
Except, well, I can’t help tweaking it a bit. Not much, but I like it also served with a little bit of cinnamon. And maybe a little sugar? And perhaps a dash of vanilla.
In short, my version looks a whole lot like french toast.
I start first by soaking the matzah in water for about three minutes. When it is soft, I crumble it up in bits, and add egg, milk, a dash of salt, and a bit of vanilla.
Then, I fry it up in a little butter, until the egg is cooked and it looks toasty and golden. Then I plate it, and sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon and sugar over it.
And, because it’s pretty much transformed into french toast at this point, drizzle a little maple syrup over it.
Serving Suggestions
- Drizzle a little bit of maple syrup over the top.
- Serve with fruit salad.
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Matzah Brei
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 3 matzah crackers
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon butter for frying
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- maple syrup, to taste
Instructions
- Soak matzahs for about three minutes. When finished shake off excess and crumble into a bowl.
- In a bowl, mix together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and salt with the matzah until combined.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- When heated, add matzah mix and fry up until golden brown (or until egg is cooked).
- Plate, and add sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar, and/or maple syrup to your liking. Serve immediately.
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