CAPRICORN COOKS: Matzo Brei for Passover

CAPRICORN COOKS: Matzo Brei for Passover: This is our favorite Passover comfort food. It is easy to make and I have great memories of making big batches of this for breakfast for my...

Matzo Brei for Passover

This is our favorite Passover comfort food. It is easy to make and I have great memories of making big batches of this for breakfast for my sister’s and brother. I actually do not remember who taught be how to make Matzo Brei this way, but as with everything in my kitchen, it has evolved into how I make today*. By the way, there are hundreds of ways to make Matzo Brei, every family has their own special version so have fun and be as creative as you like!!!

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes (including soaking and frying time)

Ingredients for one serving:

2 eggs

2 Matzo sheets

Running water

Pinch of kosher salt

2 tablespoons of oil for frying

Use the ratio one egg for every sheet of Matzo.

*I do not use Egg Matzo or Onion Matzo – I keep it simple.

Preparation:

·        Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl

·        Beat them until even in color

·        Under running water wet the Matzo (do not shake off the extra water)

·        Break the Matzo in half and then half again (see picture)

·        Wet again under running water (do not shake of the extra water)

·        Break bite- sized pieces (see picture) of the Matzo into the egg mixture

·        Some water will get into the egg – that’s good

·        Add about a palm-full of water into the egg and matzo mixture

·        Mix well

·        Let sit about 15 minutes – stirring occasionally to be sure all the Matzo is covered with egg

·        Mix well again

·        Heat the oil in a frying pan

·        Pour the whole mixture into the frying pan

·        Fry like you would scrabbled-eggs, breaking up large pieces

     [You will hear a sizzling sound – that is the egg cooking and drying out]

·        Cook until light and fluffy (as wet or as dry as you like your eggs)

·        Remove to a bowl 

·        Top it with sugar or (see options below)

My favorite topping is a generous sprinkle of plain white sugar. 

Optional Toppings:

Other options: cinnamon & sugar, maple syrup, jam, grated cheese, diced scallions, cubed feta cheese or date syrup (Silan), sour cream or whatever you heart desires.

CRUNCHY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

This is a simple easy cookie recipe that is my go-too recipe when the Cookie Jar is looking empty. Who doesn't have a couple of eggs in the fridge and some flour and sugar in the pantry? You just have to remember to keep a package of ground almonds in the freezer. I usually mix all of the ingredients together in one bowl, first wet and then dry. EASY - Only one bowl, one measuring cup and a spoon to wash! 
Try making it with your kids or Grandkids.

Preparation:

Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

No need to oil the paper.

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C

Preparing the batter: 15 minutes 

Baking time: about 15 minutes for each batch (you can put two pans in the oven at once)

Makes about 50-60 cookies

Ingredients:

1 margarine (200 grams)

1 cup of sugar

2 eggs 

1 packet vanilla sugar

1 packet baking powder

1 cup (100 grams) Ground Almonds

1 cup Chocolate Chips

2 cups regular flour

Pinch of salt

Melted margarine, flour, ground almonds, sugar, eggs, chocolate chips

 Preparation: “Mix” by hand with a spoon

In a large bowl:

·       Melt the margarine

·       Add the sugar and the vanilla sugar

·       Mix until sugar starts to dissolve

·       Add the eggs

·       Mix well

·       Add the Ground Almonds

·       Mix well

·       Add flour, baking powder a pinch of salt to the wet mixture (the mixture will be somewhat thick, don't forget to scrap the bottom of the bowl)

·       Mix well, but not too much!

Dough before adding Chocolate Chips

·       Add the Chocolate Chips

·       Mix until the Chocolate Chips are more or less evenly distributed (see below)

Dough after adding Chocolate Chips

Baking:

Scoop ping-pong size balls of batter onto the cookie sheet (I use a mini-ice cream scoop) leaving space between each – the cookies will spread a bit – make sure there are some chocolate chips showing.

[You could make them larger or smaller.]

[The dough will be easy to handle and not sticky or too dry. If the dough seems too dry, add an additional egg; if the dough seems too wet add a ¼ cup of flour.]

Cookies on the way into the oven

            CRUNCHY CHOCOLATE COOKIES
(THEY LOOK LIKE THEY CAME OUT OF A PACKAGE)

Pappardella Pasta with Garlic,Cherry Tomatoes and Feta Cheese

(An Easy to Make Olive Oil Based Light Pasta Sauce)

Tonight I felt like something filling and hot, but I didn't feel like fussing, so I looked in the refrigerator and this is what I found: some garlic, a handful of cherry tomatoes, a half bottle of white wine, feta cheese and some Kalamata olives. I knew I had some fresh Basil growing outside and then I remembered I had a couple of handfuls of Pappardelle* in the cabinet, here is what I did:

[Preparation time: 20 min = cooking and cutting time]{It took me longer to write this blog}

Servings: makes about 2 medium-sized portions – easily doubled or tripled

Ingredients:

Two (2) servings of Pappardelle Pasta (they come in portions)

The Pappardelle Pasta (*an Italian flat pasta, usually cut into a broad ribbon shape; curled into handful size portions, it’s width is between Lasagna and Tagliatelle), should be cooking while you are preparing the sauce. Cook until El Dente, save about 3 Tablespoons of the pasta water.

Ingredients for the Sauce:

·       5 Tablespoons of good quality olive oil

·       4 cloves of garlic – sliced the long way

·       5 cherry tomatoes cut into quarters the long way

·       ¼ cup white wine

·       4 or 5 fresh basil leaves, sliced

·       Some Feta Cheese – sheep feta – about 3 slices cubed

·       A pinch of sugar

·       ¼ teaspoon of dry oregano

·       3 Tablespoons of Pasta Water

·       Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Fresh ground pepper, sliced garlic and cherry tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes cut in quarters lengthwise

Preparation:

·        In a medium frying pan, heat 5 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

·      Add the garlic slices and simmer until the garlic begins to soften*

·       Add the cut up cherry tomatoes, sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper

Cherry tomatoes and garlic simmering in olive oil

·        Continue cooking until the cherry tomatoes they begin to soften 

·        Add the white wine, the pan will sizzle, let the liquid thicken a bit

·        Add the pinch of sugar

·        Add the dry oregano

·        Mix and let simmer for another minute or two

·        Add the pasta to the sauce

·        Add the 3 tablespoons of the pasta water

Pappardelle added to the Sauce

·        Mix well – give it a minute or two for the sauce to cook into the pasta

·        Salt and pepper to taste

·        Place on serving dish

·        Sprinkle with the Feta Cheese

·        Add the Kalamata Olives

Quick Light Pasta Sauce with Feta Cheese and Kalamata Olives

You might want to add a few grains of kosher salt to enhance the flavors without making this dish too salty. If I were feeling ambitious, I would have made myself a simple green salad and garlic bread. But I didn’t J

*Garlic - be careful not to overcook garlic - it gets bitter