Traditional Seder Recipe: Matzo Balls

I’ve had the distinct privilege of being invited to a few Seders over the years, the Jewish practice, where multiple generations of a family gather to celebrate Passover. Many customary prayers are conducted, songs sung, and stories are told while specific food is served with deeply significant meaning. During this pandemic, the opportunity to gather in a large group is not possible. So thank goodness for technology. Many of my Jewish friends have let me know that they’ve had their share of Seder invitations via Zoom and Skype last night, with one friend saying the technology linked him not only to households a few streets away from his home but also to his motherland of England.  

One of his must-have traditional foods to serve during Passover is Matzo Balls, which I completely endorse. Not only is this a comfort food, but delicious as soup in either a vegetarian or chicken broth. So here’s where asking my friends for their favourite recipes became a bit more complicated. Seems there are two camps for making your own Matzo Balls. First is from scratch, while the other uses Matzo meal. So here are two recipes for Matzo Balls, one recipe from each camp.

Matzo Balls From Scratch:

Here’s my fave ‘From Scratch Matzo Ball’ recipe, complete with video. It’s from Jamie Geller, often seen on the Today Show. Her video will inspire the cook living inside all of us, no matter how deep we have to reach. It offers great comfort food, served during Passover and beyond.

Matzo Balls Using Matzo Meal:

For many, securing some Matzo Meal from your local grocer is ideal. You simply add eggs, water, and fat such as butter, oil, or chicken fat. The recipe is always on the back of the packaging:

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• ¼ cup of Manischewitz Matzo Meal
• 2 Tbsp of broth or water
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. In a bowl, beat eggs, add oil, Matzo Meal, and salt. Blend together. Add broth or water and mix until uniform.
2. Cover and chill in a refrigerator for about 20 minutes. In the meanwhile, bring 6 cups of salted water to a brisk boil.
3. Remove chilled matzo ball mixture from the refrigerator. Moisten hands and form batter into matzo balls, approximately 1-inch in diameter.
4. Reduce heat. Drop Matzo Balls into the pot of boiling water.
5. Cover lightly and simmer until thoroughly cooked, about 30-40 minutes.