Matzah brei facts for kids
Matzah brei
|
|
| Alternative names | Matzo brei, fried matzah, matzah metugnet |
|---|---|
| Course | Breakfast or brunch |
| Place of origin | Israel, North America, other communities in the diaspora |
| Created by | Jewish people |
| Main ingredients | Matzo, eggs, milk or hot water, sugar or salt, spices, cheese, jam, maple syrup |
Matzah brei is a special dish made from matzah (a type of flatbread) and eggs. It's like a fried pancake or scrambled eggs, but with matzah mixed in! This tasty meal comes from Ashkenazi Jewish traditions. People often eat it for breakfast or brunch during the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Contents
What Does "Matzah Brei" Mean?
The name "Matzah brei" comes from the Yiddish language. In Yiddish, matse bray means 'matzah porridge'. The word bray (porridge) comes from an old German word brī, which meant the same thing. So, it's basically "matzah mixed up like porridge."
The Story of Matzah Brei
Historians believe that matzah brei, as we know it today (a fried dish with matzah and eggs), first became popular in North America.
One of the earliest recipes for "Fried Matzos" appeared in a cookbook from London in 1846. This recipe used whole matzah soaked in butter or schmaltz (chicken fat) and then fried.
Later, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Jewish-American cookbooks started to include recipes that used eggs. These early recipes usually had whole or large pieces of matzah dipped in beaten egg and then fried.
The way we often make matzah brei today – crumbling the matzah and mixing it with beaten egg before frying – became popular thanks to Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe who came to the United States. Also, when machines started making matzah, it became a bit thicker and flakier, which was perfect for this dish!
How to Make Matzah Brei
There are many ways to make matzah brei, and you can change the ingredients to your liking.
Basic Ingredients
The main ingredients you need are:
- Matzah
- Eggs
- A liquid to soften the matzah, like hot water or milk
Step-by-Step Preparation
- First, you break the dry matzah into pieces.
- Then, you briefly soak the matzah pieces in water or milk to soften them.
- Next, you mix the softened matzah with beaten eggs.
- Finally, you fry the mixture in a skillet with oil or butter.
Different Styles of Frying
You can fry matzah brei in a few ways:
- Scrambled: Like scrambled eggs, where the mixture is stirred while cooking.
- Pancake Style: Cooked flat like a pancake or a tortilla.
Sweet or Savory?
Matzah brei can be made either savory (salty) or sweet!
- Savory Matzah Brei: You can add salt, pepper, onions, or even sauerkraut to the matzah and egg mixture. Sometimes, it's fried in schmaltz for extra flavor.
- Sweet Matzah Brei: For a sweet version, you might add honey, cinnamon, cheese, or fruit to the mixture.
After it's cooked, people often top matzah brei with things like:
- Jam
- Honey
- Cinnamon and sugar
- Syrup (like maple syrup)
- Applesauce
- Sour cream or yogurt
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder
Matzah Brei and Passover
Matzah brei is a very common breakfast food during the Jewish holiday of Passover for Ashkenazi Jews.
However, some Hasidic Jews do not eat matzah brei or other cooked matzah dishes (like matzah balls) during Passover. This is because they follow a strict rule called gebrochts, which means they avoid matzah that has touched water.
But even those who avoid gebrochts might eat matzah brei on the eighth day of Passover (outside of Israel). This is because the eighth day is a less strict holiday rule.
You can also make matzah brei without soaking the matzah in water at all. Instead, you can soak it only in beaten egg and then scramble it in a frying pan.
