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Matzah cinnamon toast
When you just don't want to make another batch of matzah brei, or if you're already run out of eggs for it, make this instead. It's based on a snack my lola makes where she fries up a bunch of fresh wonton wrappers and rolls them in cinnamon sugar. (That snack is a great way to use up torn-up lumpia wrappers, too, but you'll have to wait until after Pesach is over.)
Matzah cinnamon toast
5 matzot
1 - 2 T cinnamon (try Saigon cinnamon for a sweet-hot kick)
1/4 - 1/2 c granulated sugar
Oil for frying
Spray bottle of water (a plate with enough water in it to cover the bottom works too)
0. Bring oil to 350F in a deep-bottomed (3+ inches) pan or pot. Meanwhile, combine cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.
1. Do this one matzah at a time. Lightly spray a piece of matzah with water. One pump per side, held about six inches away from the nozzle should do it. If it gets soggy, set it aside and try again. If you're using a plate, barely touch it to the surface of the water.
2. Break the matzah into 4-6 pieces. Drop the pieces into the oil and fry until golden brown. Remove and let drain for a minute.
3. While they're still hot, roll the matzah pieces in the cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately.
For a healthier option, try toasting the matzah in a toaster oven for about 2 minutes, then proceed with step 3.
Chag sameach!
Matzah lasagna
Almost indistinguishable from lasagna made with actual pasta, matzah lasagna is my favorite way to eat matzah during Pesach.
My fiance and I bring a pan of it to my lola's house when we visit during Passover. My cousins won't let us in the door without it.
It's really easy and really fast, too--it can be done in 30 minutes flat if you're good at putting it together.
This is the basic recipe I use. If you eat kitniyot (which I do), you can add soy meat for a little more protein (soyganisa or soy chorizo is pretty awesome here). No seitan, though.
Matzah lasagna
1-2 lbs matzah
16-24 oz jar of pasta sauce, or make your own (add 1 T sugar if you want it sweet)
16 oz ricotta cheese
1 bag frozen spinach, or 1 bunch fresh, washed and dried
Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
Chili flakes (optional)
Mozzarella cheese for sprinkling on top
0. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a baking pan (9"x13" or so) that's at least 1.5 inches deep (or however thick you want your lasagna to be).
1. Spread a few spoonfuls of pasta sauce over the bottom of the baking pan, covering it generously. Lay down one layer of matzah.
2. Spread some pasta sauce and ricotta cheese over the matzah and top with spinach and some more pasta sauce. Sprinkle on Italian seasoning, salt and pepper (and chili flakes) to your heart's content. Lay down another layer of matzah. The key here is to make sure the matzah is well moistened by the sauce and other toppings.
3. Repeat step 2 until you reach the top of the pan, omitting the last layer of matzah.
4. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese liberally on top, then sprinkle on some more Italian seasoning, salt and pepper (and chili flakes).
5. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, until the cheese melts and forms a crust and the middle is hot.
Serve hot.
Matzah granola fruit smoothie bowl
After you've made a big batch of matzah granola, you've got to eat it somehow. One particularly healthy way is with a bunch of fresh fruit.
For each serving:
8 oz strawberries, frozen (or other frozen fruit of your choice--mango's quite good, too. Don't be afraid to mix fruits.)
4-6 oz yogurt, rice milk, or fruit juice (less if you like it thicker, more if you like it runnier)
1 cup matzah granola
honey for drizzling
1 banana, sliced
In a blender, blend the frozen strawberries and yogurt/rice milk/fruit juice until smooth.
In a bowl, drizzle honey on the sides and bottom. Put in a handful of granola.
Pour in blended strawberry smoothie. Top with banana slices and some more granola. If you like, drizzle on a little more honey.
Enjoy.
Matzah granola
With Passover around the corner (three weeks! eeek!) it's time to start the Great Chametz Purge. While I won't tell you how to vacuum the impossible-to-reach spot behind the stove, I will be featuring recipes using matzah for the next month.
After you're done making challah French toast for the umpteenth time, you may be wondering what to do with the four pounds of matzah left over from last year's Pesach.
As long as it's not too stale, I use it to make matzah granola. It'll keep for about a month depending on the airtightness of the container it's stored in.
My basic granola recipe involves grain, honey, sweet spices (usually cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg), nuts, and dried fruit. If I'm feeling particularly fancy, I'll add a little butter for some richness, but it's not necessary.
Don't be fazed by the impreciseness of the recipe. I personally like lots of nuts and dried fruit in my granola. If you love grain in your granola, load in the matzah.
Matzah granola
6-8 matzot, broken up into farfel-sized pieces, or around 2 cups of matzah farfel
Handful of cashews
Handful of almonds
Handful of peanuts
Handful of dried cranberries
Handful of dried raisins or chopped up dried mango (yum)
Handful of candied ginger (optional--adds some bite)
(all these handfuls amount to around 2-3 cups)
Cinnamon to taste (Usually I end up using a tablespoon or so)
1/4 t cardamom
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t ground ginger
Honey to taste (I drizzle it on until it looks right, e.g. forms quarter-sized clumps when I stir it around. The more honey, the more it'll stick together.)
0. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a baking pan or cookie sheet, or use a Silpat if you have one.
1. If you're allergic to raw nuts, you may want to roast the nuts before putting them in the granola. Otherwise, don't worry about it. To do this, spread them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and toast at 350F for 5 minutes, then check on them every 2 minutes until they're a beautiful golden brown. If it's been 10 minutes and they're not roasted yet, increase the temperature to 375F.
2. In a bowl (or in the pan if it's deep enough), combine the matzah farfel with the nuts and dried fruit (and candied ginger if you're using it). Drizzle on enough honey until it forms clumps.
3. Dust on the spices and mix well.
4. Spread the granola evenly in the baking pan.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, then take it out and stir it around so that the bottom doesn't stick. Bake for another 5-10 minutes, until golden brown.
6. Let cool for 2 minutes, then transfer it to a wide-mouthed bowl and stir it around to break up large clumps. Let cool completely.
From here you can do all sorts of things.
