In the house where I grew up, we did not live in an environment of abundance, and in these soft and airy Matzah Balls there was something that filled the void. Mother would make these first as an addition to the soup, and the next day, the matzah balls that were not served with the soup would become a side dish or dessert. She would also play with their seasoning accordingly – starting with the basic batter, cooking her portion as it is, and adding fried onions or raisins to the remaining portion and sometimes both. As a side dish, the matzah balls were served with a roast and covered in gravy and as a dessert we would sprinkle sugar on them and serve with jam and sour cream.
Ingredients for Matzah Balls
- 2 cups water
- ¾ cups oil
- Salt
- ground black pepper
- 2 cups matzo meal
- 4-5 eggs (Depends on the size of the eggs and the absorbancy of the matzo flour)
Instructions
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1. Boil water, oil, salt and black pepper. Once the water boils, remove from heat and immediately add matzah flour all at once while stirring vigorously with a whisk. Continue mixing until a smooth paste is obtained.
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2. Cool the dough a little and add an egg, mix with the whisk until uniform and then add another egg, mix again until it is incorporated. After adding the fourth egg and mixing it in, pinch the dough- if it is firm and flexible stop and do not add another egg, if it is a little dry add the fifth egg. Cover the pot and transfer to the refrigerator for 12 hours.
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3. Meanwhile, bring a separate large, wide pot of salted water to a boil.
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4. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and form balls slightly larger than a ping pong ball. Cook the matzah balls in boiling water in several batches (if you put too many balls in the pot at once they may stick to each other) and cook for about 7 minutes, scoop out with a slotted spoon into a wide tupperware and keep aside until ready to serve.