shain

~175g matzo (5 matzo), broken into rough pieces 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly slices 4-5 scallions, chopped 5 eggs 250g milk 150g kashkaval cheese (or similar), grated 100g feta, crumbled 1 tbsp lemon juice, or a little vinegar 1/2 tsp baking powder A pinch of MSG (skip it if you avoid it) Plenty of black pepper Chili pepper, to taste Salt to taste (depends on the saltiness of the cheese, apx 1 tsp) The mixture can be made a day ahead. Place broken matzo in a large bowl. Heat the milk and pour over the matzo. This allowes for faster soaking, don't bother heating it if your making the mixture a day ahead. - Meanwhile, saute the leek until very tender. Mix into the matzo. - Make sure the matzo are not hot before mixing in the eggs and other ingredients. Pour into a well battered casserole dish. Lightly flatten. Bake in 200 C for 30-40 minutes, until nicely browned. Brush/top with butter mid-way baking for added crispness. - I find the dish to taste better, and be more crisp, once reheated. If you wish to, let it chill for at least 30 minutes or overnight before baking it again just until hot and crisp.

Matzo brei can be savory or sweet, and generally can be grouped into two forms. The first has the broken matzo cooked in a pan while stirring, producing a scramble of individual eggy pieces. The second is made by cooking the mixture into a pancake of sorts. My recipe is of the second type, which over the years I opted to bake in a cake pan, allowing me to have a wetter mixture and requires less work. I never tried to, but I'm pretty sure that this will work well with flatbreads instead of matzo. Dry the flatbread well in a low oven and weight them when dried. Base batter: ~ 280g matzo (8 matzo), broken into rough pieces 6 eggs 420g milk 150g water (reduce if cooking as "pancakes") 1 tsp baking powder Basic sweet version: Add: 5 tsp dark brown sugar or silan (date syrup) 1 tsp cinnamon 1.5-2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper optional: 2 tbsp milk powder optional: chopped walnuts, dates, raising, or other nuts and dried fruits By itself, the sweet version is not really that sweet, I usually serve it with one or more of the follwoing: Haroset Sour cream (or cottage cheese) and honey Maple syrup or silan Basic savory version: You can add whatever you think will suite stuffing or baked pasta. Cheeses - feta, Kashkaval, Swiss, etc. Vegetables - browned onions, leek, spinach, chard, mushrooms, etc. 2-3 tsp salt (2 should be enough if you add salty cheeses) Here's my favorite savory version - with leeks and cheese. Method: The batter can be made a day ahead. Place broken matzo in a large bowl. Heat the water and milk and pour over matzo. This allowes for faster soaking, don't bother heating it if your making the batter a day ahead. Let chill before mixing in the eggs and other ingredients. Let soak (an hour or so, at least). Once the liquid is mostly soaked, mix well and pour into a well battered cake pan, casserole dish or loaf pan. Bake in medium heat (180 C) for 30-45 minutes, until nicely browned and set. Brush the top with butter mid-way baking for added crispness. Serve hot. Reheats very well in oven or microwave.

A sweet spread often served during Passover. Serve on matzo, with matzo brei, or on toast. There are endless version. This is the one I make in recent years. 1 tart apple (Granny Smith), peeled and chopped, apx 150g 20g raising (skip if you can't bare them even when ground to a paste) 100g pitted dates / date spread (often vacuum packed, make sure it has no added sugar) - 40g toasted walnuts, chopped - 2 tbsp sweet or dry wine 1/2 tsp cinnamon a little black pepper a little nutmeg optional: rose water (strength vary, add to taste, maybe 1/2 tsp) optional: 1/4 tsp dry ginger a large pinch of salt a little lemon, if needed, to taste Cook the apple with the dates and raisins until the apple is tender. Add half to all of the nuts, and all flavoring ingredients. Blend smooth (or rough, if you prefer). Add remaining chopped nuts.

Matzo casserole, this one with a filling of chickpeas, mushrooms, caramelized onion and baharat. Tahini. Is it clear by now that I love baked matzo dishes?

@blue_dolphin This goes into my recipe ideas list - the flavor combo sound great. Thanks!

Matzo brie. Served with charoset (dates, raisins, wine, cinnamon, cardamom, rose water) and nuts, cottage cheese with honey.

Sounds delicious. I take a more similar approach for pasta with mushrooms (and cream). With pasta, I prefer the sauce to be more boldly and evenly flavored. I also brown the mushrooms more when making pasta.

I see that you chose not to mix in the mushrooms. When I make mushroom risotto, I mix them in, but only right before serving so that they don't overly flavor the rice. That way the flavor when biting into a mushroom is more distinct, otherwise, I find myself getting used to it quickly.

Another matzo casserole (using the same base as the leek one, but different flavoring). Feta, chard, kashkaval, cumin. Served with yogurt.

Frittata with roasted peppers, mozzarella, basil and garlic. Roasted eggplants with yogurt, tahini, date molasses. Toasted walnuts, coriander, cumin and nigella. Risotto style pearl barley with parmesan, nutmeg, pepper and thyme. Topped with caramelized onions in red wine and toasted almonds (not very photogenic...).

Warm black sesame "soup" with (lightly) almond-flavored mochi.

Images from our Passover Seder, yesterday. Beetroots, oranges, arugula, vinagrete, pine nuts. (Vegan) matzo cube soup. Matzo and chrain. Casserole of matzo, feta, kashkaval, leek, scallions (a sort of savory matzo brei). Lima beans with chard, sumac, cumin, pickled lemon. Picture is of leftovers, eaten today with rice and yogurt.

Pad see ew. No Chinese broccoli, but regular one works well. Tam som-o (pomelo salad).

@Anna N Square eggs sure looks fancy

French toasts. Vanilla, nutmeg, a hint of cinnamon. Maple syrup. Mullberries.

Hummus with ful (fava beans). The latter flavored with ample cumin and garlic. Haminados eggs. Lemony tahini. Pickles, olives and veggies, schug. Pita breads (of course), chopped salad. Almost forgot the olive oil 😲

Same here. Though it does look amazing. And I like that the chocolate is concentrated on the top.

Thanks, I actually always assumed frozen are better. I guess I expected them to be overcooked during canning.

How would you describe canned clams, compared to fresh or frozen? I'd expect them to be quite chewy. For which usages are they an acceptable sub?

It's a bit like paprikash sauce, but more tomatoey.

Thanks I love this one, I make it every fig season for a few years now.

Holubtsi - cabbage rolls stuffed with buckwheat and mushrooms. Sauce is sour cream with paprika, tomatoes, garlic and dill.

Here's some of the less conventional pizzas I made and liked in the past: Tomato sauce, apples, blue cheese, thyme. Ricotta, smoked motz, eggplants, mushrooms. Spicy tomato sauce, feta, motz, tomatoes, olives, basil. Bechamel, artichoke, rosemary, pistachios, Parmesan. Moussaka flavored - eggplants, tomato sauce, bechamel, oregano, thyme, nutmeg, cumin. Ricotta, mozzarella, pesto, tomatoes. Sfincione with tomato sauce, caramelized onions, toasted breadcrumbs and Pecorino. Roasted butternut squash, cream, mozzarella, sage and blue cheese. Ajvar (fire roasted peppers and eggplants sauce), feta, nigella. Ricotta, mozzarella, figs, aniseed. Tomato and coconut milk based Indian curry (with cinnamon, cumin, ginger, cardamom and some lemon grass), chickpeas, motz, cilantro. Thick style pizza with motz, caramelized onions, and blue cheese. Thick style pizza with mussels, spinach-basil-garlic pesto, motz. Also, not really a pizza, but a manoush bread with zaatar and olive oil.

Broccoli and tofu in black bean sauce. Cucumber, onion, chili, ginger, garlic, vinegar. Peanuts with Szechuan peppercorn. Mulberries.