Matzo brei is Passover comfort food fried up in a pan

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The traditional Passover food matzo brei (rhymes with fry) is essentially matzo fried with eggs, or scrambled eggs with matzo, depending on how you look at it.

The holiday requires observant Jews to stay away from any leavened breads, so matzo, which is unleavened, become a staple.

Usually, matzo brei recipes begin with the matzo getting soaked in water or milk before it’s drained, broken up and combined with the eggs. I like the soak to be fast, slightly more than a dunk. The size of the pieces doesn’t matter so much; I prefer to break the matzo into about 1-inch pieces (and there are plenty of little shards and crumbs that end up being part of the mix). Then add it to the beaten eggs.

Some people break up the matzo first and then soak the pieces in the beaten eggs, but I like them a touch softened first, and don’t want them to absorb too much of the eggs themselves.

Ratio of eggs to matzo

The ratio of eggs to matzo differs from recipe to recipe. I like about 2 eggs to every sheet of matzo, but you can play with it and decide. Some people use 1 sheet of matzo per egg, which results in a matzo-dense matzo brei. The good news is you can’t mess it up — you’ll only have varying consistencies.

Brei means “fry” in contemporary Yiddish, and translates to “mash” or “porridge” in German. After adding the egg-and-matzo mixture to a skillet, some people let it cook until brown on the bottom, then kind of flip it, like a pancake. Or you can scramble the mixture, aiming for a kind of super-chunky, matzo-studded scrambled eggs.

Some versions of matzo brei are sweet and some are savory. I prefer the savory version, adding a bit of minced red onion. In other savory versions you might find things like cabbage or sauerkraut and mushrooms, and possibly sour cream for serving. Sweet versions of matzo brei might include apples and honey and cinnamon, for instance, and may be served with maple syrup.

To stay within kosher guidelines, many people opt for oil instead of butter if meat is part of the meal. Conversely, people will go for chicken fat (schmaltz) if that’s on hand and fits within the dietary guidelines. I’m a butter gal.

In the end, matzo brei is one of the tastiest and easiest ways to have a solid breakfast during Passover, not to mention using up leftover matzo after the holiday has ended.

Matzo Brei

Servings: 2

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 sheets matzo

4 large eggs

Directions

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 4 minutes, until softened.

Meanwhile, break the matzo into pieces about 1 inch in size and place them in a bowl (add all the crumbs). Have a strainer handy. Fill the bowl with hot water so the matzo is covered. Let sit for 30 seconds (not longer!), then drain the matzo in a strainer.

Beat the eggs in the same bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Add the drained matzo and stir to combine. Transfer the egg-and-matzo mixture to the pan with the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are as firmly cooked as you like them, breaking up the mixture. Or, let it cook until the bottom is firm and browned and use a spatula to flip the mixture as a single entity, then allow the second side to brown.

Transfer to a plate and serve hot.

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Katie Workman writes regularly about food for The Associated Press. She has written two cookbooks focused on family-friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.” She blogs at https://themom100.com/. She can be reached at Katie@themom100.com.

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