Matzah Ball Soup
This soup, favored by the Ashkenazic Jews, is made from a mixture of matzah meal and chicken fat and is the traditional soup served on Passover. We all know that it was our grandmother who made the best matzah ball soup, so no two recipes are the same, except that the standard soup includes chicken soup and matzah balls. In some Jewish homes, soft noodles will be added to the soup, along with carrots and sometimes celery, etc.
Ingredients:
For the Matzah Balls:
4 eggs
2 tablespoons chicken fat (substitute oil if you can’t find fat)
2 tablespoons soup stock or water
1 cup matzah meal (buy it at the store)
½ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Beat eggs slightly with fork in a bowl.
- Add chicken fat, salt, and water.
- Add matzah meal gradually until it thickens.
- Refrigerate for 20 minutes in a covered bowl. This will allow the matzah to absorb the liquid and make it easier to use.
- Scoop out portions of the matzah ball mixture with a standard ice cream scoop and with wet hands, form into balls.
- Fill a medium-sized stock pot half way with water and bring to simmer on medium heat.
- Cook for 30 minutes.
- Drain and set aside.
Yield: 16 matzah balls
Ingredients:
For the Chicken Soup:
1 chicken (5 pounds), quartered
2 medium size onions, diced
6 carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
water to cover
2 tablespoons salt
Instructions:
- Peel onions and carrots and wash celery and cut all vegetables into ½-inch cubes.
- Place chicken and vegetables in large stock pot.
- Add salt and water to cover.
- Bring to boil and then lower the flame and simmer for 2 hours.
- Remove chicken parts and let cool. Remove the chicken meat from the bones and shred..
- Strain the soup of all the vegetables pieces and bring chicken stock back to a simmer.
- Add the shredded chicken to soup and keep on a low simmer.
- About 30 minutes before serving, add the matzah balls to the soup and simmer.
- Dish out soup with 1 matzah ball per serving.
Yield: 14 to 16 servings