When I think about leaning back at a warm Passover seder, the singing growing louder as the night gets later and the customary four cups of wine get sipped, Passover is one of my favorite holidays. But right about now, in the days before the festival starts, I begin to fill with four cups of dread.
Starting Monday night, any type of bread – as well as rice, legumes, and corn – will be forbidden for more than a week. What in the world am I going to eat?
The answer is Mazah Brei. Matzah Brei always gets me excited about Passover again.
It’s basically deconstructed French Toast, with soft, doughy matzah, gooey eggs, and whatever accompaniments you have on hand. I like to add raisins for sweetness and vegetables for vitamins.
Or, matzah brei is fried and crunchy and topped with Maple syrup.
My father always emphasizes, holding out one finger, that his family’s matzah brei (the fried version) only uses one egg, and it’s made with water, not milk, like my mother’s.
You should never ask a girl to choose between her parents, especially when it comes to food, so read below for both recipes.
Matzah Brei #1
My mother’s matzah brei is like a rich egg scramble or a deconstructed French toast. Much of the dish is soft and gooey, so I like to add crunchy fresh vegetables during the last few minutes at the stove.
Ingredients
1 matzah per person
2 eggs per person
Whole milk
A few handfuls of raisins
Chopped vegetables (I like bell peppers, and onions)
Break the matzah into smaller pieces – say, half the size of a playing card.
Cover the bottom of a skillet with a thick layer of milk.
Add matzah, eggs, and raisins to the pan. Cook until the eggs are mostly scrambled, stirring occasionally.
Add the vegetables. Cook until the eggs are scrambled.
Matzah Brie #2
My father’s matzah brie uses water, not milk, and it’s fried in oil.
Ingredients
1 matzah per person
1 egg (and ONLY one egg)
A bowl of water
Maple syrup
Break the matzah into small pieces, no larger than 2 in by 2 in (and the smaller the better).
Soak the matzah pieces in a bowl of water for 10 minutes.
Take the matzah pieces out of the bowl. Press them with a spatula to squeeze the water out.
Heat up some oil in a skillet. Fry the matzah with the egg in the oil.
Cook until the matzah has reached your desired crunchiness. (Some like it soft, others like it crispy.)
Top with maple syrup.