Matzo Brei, a twist on French Toast and a family favorite
During my recent visit to my nephew and his family in Chicago, I had the joy of cooking matzo brei with them. While traditionally the Passover breakfast food, we adapt. For reasons of distance and the death of the sister who made all the family celebrations happen, we now gather when we can, and eat whatever family recipes we damn well please whenever we want to.
Think French toast made with matzo instead of bread, and in this case cooked as a thick pancake. (Other people do a scramble, and they’re wrong 🙃) Matzo brei is perfect for brunch or breakfast-for-dinner any day of the year.
My mother’s Aunt Ethel first taught me in her Brooklyn kitchen when I was ten or so.
I’m passing Aunt Ethel’s recipe on you:
.
.
I’ve made some adaptations to Aunt Ethel’s recipe over the decades.
Once it sets, stick it in the oven to finish. I’ve abandoned flipping the brei on top of the stove to finish it. Too hard and too heavy. Once I discovered that it finishes just fine by itself, my flipping days were over.
The batter doesn’t really need milk. Who knew? I don’t keep milk in my house any more and it started to seem ridiculous to buy some simply for a recipe like this so I experimented. I’ve added a little water and sometimes even a splash of kombucha 🤷🏻♀️ to the batter, no problem.
Ghee! Sadly, Aunt Ethel never got to taste ghee, as far as I know. I'm here to tell you ghee’s the best fat for matzo brei. Unsalted butter’s a close and delicious substitute.
Relax into aging with deliciousness. Savor more, stress less. Enjoy!
Join the conversation
This community’s all about all we get to deal with as we age, and all we get to savor! Upgrading to a paid subscription allows you to join the conversation and be heard. Upgrade and be welcome In our safe, spam-free community. We don’t have to face the challenges of aging alone. Let's support each other through this journey.
Ready to join? #AgingLikeABadass
Not ready to upgrade? Subscribe at the free level and get notified of new posts as they drop. All the content is free.
Want to send a little love? Make a one-time donation. Your generosity fuels my creativity, and helps keep the articles, books, and tutorial videos coming. As a