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One of my biggest fears Matzo Balls!

By 5 Comments3 min read

I knew how to make chicken soup but for years I was afraid to make matzo balls, truly petrified to be honest!  After slaving in a kitchen for days cooking holiday meals, killing my back, I did not want to hear the negative comments you can after making a bad matzo ball that is not airy and light as a feather so I bought them! I played it safe and paid the price!

Then for some unknown reason, I tried making matzo balls by just following the recipe on the matzo meal box and what a surprise I had!  I could make matzo balls that were not heavy and like lead and were good!  I could make them ahead and reheat them.  It worked for me.

Now that one recipe worked I was not afraid to try other recipes.  In fact I can say I have tried another matzo ball recipe after watching Tony Maws from Craigie on Main in Cambridge on the Martha Stewart Show last spring.

Last Passover, I tried Craigie on Main’s Matzo Balls!  They were really good but of course with schmaltz (chicken fat) added they were bound to be wonderful.  Tony Maw’s recipe let me cook the matzo balls directly in my soup so I was saving time as oppose to cooking them first in boiling water!

So I share with you two recipes for Matzo Balls, you choose which you would like to try or share with us your favorite matzo ball recipes and tricks for making the perfect matzo ball! Don’t forget to double or triple the recipe because no one could eat just one!

Straight from the Streit’s Matzo Meal Box:

Matzo Balls:        1 cup matzo meal             4 large eggs                                        ¼ cup oil or melted margarine

¼ cup water or seltzer   1 teaspoon salt or to taste           pinch of ground pepper

Beat eggs; add water, salt and pepper. Mix well and then add matzo meal and stir thoroughly.

Refrigerate for ½ hour to 1 hour.

Partially fill a large pot with water and bring to boil, form mixture into balls (I inch diameter) with moisten or I use a small ice cream scoop and drop into boiling water.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for about 30 minutes until done.  Remove with slotted spoon to a large bowl.

Simmer the matzo balls for 15 minutes in your soup before serving.

Craigie on Main’s Matzo Balls:

Serves 4-6

2 large eggs beaten

2 tablespoons chicken stock

2 tablespoons schmaltz

½ cup matzo meal

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

In large bowl, mix eggs and 2 tablespoons of chicken stock.  Add schmaltz and stir to combine.  Add matzo meal and season with salt and pepper.  Stir until just combined.  Refrigerate for 4 hours.

Place chicken stock (6 cups) in large pot over high heat and bring to boil.  Using damp hands form matzo mixture into four to six 1 ½ inch balls (or I use the ice cream scoop) and drop into boiling stock.  Cover and cook for 20 minutes.  Serve immediately.

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