My trials and tribulations with knaidlach (matzoh balls) is like a lesson in persistence. But I love these things! When I was living in New York, there was nothing I liked better than stopping into a deli and getting a big bowl of soup with tiny noodles and a huge, moon-shaped matzoh ball in the center. Even in the summertime, I would run into the air-conditioned restaurant and immediately order some chicken soup with a matzoh ball.
When I got married, for sure I was not going to confine this treat for Pesach. I wanted to have chicken soup with matzoh balls every Shabbat. The chicken soup was no problem. Throw in some veggies and cook them with a large piece of smaltzy (fatty) chicken in a lot of water for an hour or two (Oh yeah, throw in some salt). But my matzoh balls came out like rocks—dough stones, to be precise! My guests tried to be polite, and one very graciously asked for a knife to cut the matzoh balls! I checked the recipe again and again. Nope, I couldn’t find the problem, and they kept coming out like something David killed Goliath with! Was I going to give up or use a mix? No…so I was in search of the ideal recipe for matzoh balls (by the way, the matzoh balls from mixes taste great….it’s just that they have MSG in them, which very high in sodium makes me incredibly thirsty. But if MSG is not a problem for your family—by all means try them).
After much searching, I found the perfect recipe. This is very much like the recipe in The 2nd Avenue Deli Cookbook, but I have made a few variations because I prefer matzoh balls that are a bit more firm (but not rock like!). Check out their recipe and this one too.
1 TB plus ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper
4 large eggs 1 flat Tb baking powder
1/3 cup oil 1 ½ cups matzo meal
1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil, adding 1 tbs salt
2.Beat eggs, add oil, ¼ tsp salt, pepper and baking powder, Gently fold in the matzoh meal.
3.Wet hands and roll the mixture into small balls (they will double in size when cooked). Gently place the balls in the boiling water and reduce heat. Simmer for 25 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and put in the soup.
Warning: matzoh balls make soup spoil faster so for storage, put the matzoh balls in a separate container and add them to the soup. Matzoh balls are one of the few things that freeze really well! (they get softer)