We are in the Leil HaSeder home stretch, so I thought we could use one last Pesach recipe post. I’m breaking with tradition and posting this on Thursday, since I figure most of us need all the time we can get (maybe I’m just projecting, though?!).
Anyway, today I’m sharing not one, but THREE, recipes – which are the three that were most asked for in my Pesach Meal Plan post.
That said, there were a number of you who posted things that I definitely want the recipe for… so please share the goods! I’m especially curious about the slush/sorbet posted by TP in Houston, Nancy’s petit four 8-layer cake, Lisa’s apricot soup nut chicken (so intrigued!), and Barbie’s individual cheese cakes (love the idea of a dairy seder – will run that by DH for next year!).
*Disclaimer: These are all “throw it together and hope” recipes. I don’t have anything written down, so consider these more guidelines. The matzah lasagna and veggie kugel I’ve at least made before, but the oven-baked matzah brie is a total experiment. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!
Matzah Lasagna
(Warning: Gebrochts ahead!)
Ingredients:
- 1 – 2 containers cottage cheese
- 2 cups grated mozzarella
- 1/2 cup parmesan, if you’ve got it
- spinach or broccoli, chopped – optional
- 1/2 chopped onion – optional
- 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced – optional
- 2-3 cups of tomato sauce (I buy jarred on Pesach, but if you want to make your own, go for it!)
- 1 lb matzah – which acts like those no-bake noodles (sort of) in this recipe
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Saute onion until translucent, then add minced garlic and continuing stirring until fragrant. Remove to a mixing bowl. In the same pan, saute spinach or broccoli (really, any veggie would work). When slightly tender, remove to mixing bowl.
3. Add cottage cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella plus all but 2-3 T of Parmesan and mix well.
4. Ladle some tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 (or other size – doesn’t really matter) Pyrex / disposable tin /whatever you’ve got. Lay down a single layer of matzah – break along those perforated lines that never perforate as best you can.
5. Spread on a layer of the cheese mixture – about 1/2-inch thick.
6. Ladle more tomato sauce over the cheese mixture. Repeat until you have three layers or you have used up all your cheese mixture.
7. Finish with a layer of a sauce – matzah – sauce again and then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Cover tightly and bake until done (how’s that for helpful?). Cheese will be all oozy and bubbly. I remove the tinfoil for the last 10 minutes or so of cooking to brown the top a bit.
By the way, if you want a much more detailed and mouth-watering take on lasange-type recipes with matzah, a KOAB reader, Danielle, sent me this great piece on stuffed matzah pies from NPR. I’m especially intrigued by the leek and asparagus version!
Vegetable Kugel
(Sorry for the less than pro-quality picture.)
This is really a throw-it-together recipe. Here is a loose outline of what I do, but this is a very forgiving dish, so whatever you do will probably be fine!
Ingredients:
- potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, carrot
- eggs
- oil
- matzah meal
- salt, pepper or chicken soup mix powder
Instructions:
I use a food processor to very thinly slice all my veggies. If you don’t have a processor, you might want to get a mandoline – or a very steady hand. These should be thin slices!
For one pan/tin-worth of kugel, I probably use 5 cups of sliced veggies, 1/3 – 1/2 cup of matzah meal and 2-3 eggs. Mix it all with your hands in a mixing bowl and then add 2ish T of oil. Season with salt and pepper – or I know some people prefer to just use a bit of pareve chicken soup mix.
Spray a pan/tin with vegetable spray or a mist of oil and then pour in the vegetables. My kugels are about 1 1/2-inches thick, probably. I bake at 350 until … it’s done. Should be firm and stuck together, basically.
I made these over Rosh Hashana and they froze beautifully – I pulled out a pan over Sukkot and it was equally good. These also reheated well both on the plata and in the oven.
Oven-Baked Matzah Brie
(Warning: More gebrochts. Sorry!)
This one is a TOTAL experiment. As I mentioned, we are having a house full of guests for the chag. My friend Aliza had a great idea to make oven-baked matzah brie, so I wouldn’t be standing at the stove for an hour every morning. I have no idea how this will turn out, but I’m hoping it’ll be kind of like oven-baked french toast. (Well, as much like french toast as matzah brie can be.)
Here’s my basic plan: I will soak the matzah in milk, infused with either vanilla or cinnamon (I like my MB sweet, DH likes it savory – so I’m sure he will hate this recipe. Sorry, hon!). Then when the matzah is good and soft, I’ll mix up some eggs and fold the broken, soaked matzah into that. Then I’ll probably spray a baking dish with vegetable spray – or shmear some butter on the dish (maybe that… butter makes everything better) – and pour in the matzah brie mixture.
If I’m organized enough to make it the night before, I will just cover with tinfoil and refrigerate. I’m guessing it’ll need about 45 minutes in a 375° oven. I plan to take it out half-way and sprinkle generously with cinnamon & sugar.
Well, that’s it for me! Now I hope that you will all share something… a signature recipe, a new throw-it-together-and-hope concoction you are trying this year… Anything that you are making for the seder or otherwise, please add it into the comments section for this big up Recipe Exchange Mish Mosh!
Looking for more Passover Recipes? Check them out here.
