Ah, Passover. My mouth waters thinking about Seder dinner with matzo ball soup and brisket, followed by chocolate-covered matzo for dessert. That first Passover morning I can’t wait to shove a forkful of matzo brie (matzo fried with eggs) in my mouth. A few hours later, I smile at the novelty of eating sandwich meat between two slices of matzo for lunch.
But then Day 4 of the eight-day holiday hits. And if you’re like a lot of people, your tastebuds have had it with matzo.
When I start tiring of the typical fare, it’s time to pretend I’m an Iron Chef: Chef Cheryl, your secret ingredient is… matzo! How many edible dishes can you make with this flat, tasteless cracker? Quite a few, as it turns out. Here are five of my favorites from the matzo box to the dinner table:
Matzagna
Following a traditional cheese or vegetable lasagna recipe, simply replace cooked noodles with “al dente matzo.” To make “al dente matzo,” wet both sides of a sheet of matzo, and then put it on a paper towel and let it dry enough so that you can handle it without it crumbling. Some people choose to use dry matzo, which also works, but the dish won’t have the same texture as noodle lasagna.
Matzodillas
Making “al dente matzo” as outlined above, use matzo in place of tortillas. A generous serving of your favorite cheese in the middle, cook in a pan lightly coated with oil for a few minutes on both sides. Cut, and top with salsa and/or sour cream.
Matizza
Easy and fun: Simply build an individual pizza on a sheet of matzo instead of dough! Pop it on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Matzo Mia, it’s good! Even more fun is creating a matizza bar, providing a variety of toppings so that everyone can make his/her own matizza. If you’re daring, you can even spread a little horseradish left over from your Seder on the matzo before covering with sauce and cheese.
Matz ‘n’ Cheese
A little more complicated, but definitely worth the effort. You can enjoy the taste of mac ‘n’ cheese using matzo farfel (or matzo broken into small pieces). The key to getting the right consistency for this dish is to mix the matzo or farfel with a little egg and sour cream before folding in your favorite cheeses. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into a baking dish and lightly top with melted butter. Cover and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned.
Matffee
Toffee is a favorite dessert in our house. To make it Passover-friendly, all you have to do is replace the crackers with… you guessed it: matzo!
Place sheets of matzo on foil-lined baking sheets. Melt one stick of unsalted butter; blend it with one cup of brown sugar and heat to boiling. Spread the mixture with a knife or spatula to cover the matzo. After letting it set — either on the counter or in the fridge — sprinkle Kosher-for-Passover chocolate chips over the matzo, and melt the chocolate in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately three minutes. Once the chocolate begins to melt, remove from the oven, spreading the chocolate to cover the matzo. Separate matzo slices with wax paper, and put them in the fridge to set.
