Fried Matzah

My husband spent many years working in restaurants, but he rarely cooks. When he does, he makes Fried Matzah.

This Thanksgiving weekend, as I'm prepping the turkey and sides, he'll whip up this tasty breakfast for our house full of guests.

It's a meal he learned from his father. Also called Matzah (or Matzo) Brei, this is a traditional Passover dish, but we eat it whenever the husband feels like making it.

When I shared the news of the husband's meal-making with my mom, she reminded me that my Uncle Rick used to make us Matzo Brei, too. It's a comforting, homey, simple meal that satisfies and fills you up. And it's easy to vary the recipe to suit your particular tastes, like adding fresh herbs or topping the finished fried matzah with shredded cheese or apple sauce.

So, as you prepare for your Turkey Day feast, invite someone else into the kitchen to do the breakfast honors so that you can enjoy a little down time.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Fried Matzah
This recipe serves 4-5 people.

10 full matzo crackers (the husband prefers Manischewitz)
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil, divided
5 green onions or 1 red onion, finely diced
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
8 eggs
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, optional

Break up the matzo into smaller pieces and put them into a strainer. Run the strainer and crackers under hot water, tossing the crackers a few times until they are dampened but not softened. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet. Add onions and garlic and cook until fragrant and onions starts to soften. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Crack eggs into large bowl and whisk to combine. Place pieces of matzo into eggs, ensuring pieces do not stick together.

Let the matzo soak in the eggs for 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Add butter and let it melt. Then pour matzo and egg mixture into pan. Add salt and pepper.

Using a large spatula, flip pieces of the matzo so that it cooks evenly. After eggs begin to firm up, add the cooked onions and garlic and any herbs. Continue to turn sections of the matzo-egg mixture, breaking up large pieces.

Cook until the eggs are no longer runny and the matzo is lightly browned. Divide among 4 or 5 plates and serve. If you like, top with some shredded cheese, apple sauce or sour cream.