Try this Savory Matzo Kugel for Passover. You can make and enjoy this recipe any time of the year, really. It's so versatile, too. It's perfect for breakfast, snack, lunch or dinner. Cut the kugel into smaller pieces and serve it as a dinner appetizer. Cut larger pieces and serve as a side dish.
I pack the Matzo Kugel for kids' lunches because it's so filling, and it's a healthier option. Matzo, matzah, or matza (as alternatively spelled) itself is made of only two ingredients: flour and water.
*** This recipe is made by soaking the matzo crackers in boiling milk. Please read for substitutes below.
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The Ingredients:
1/2 medium eggplant
1 medium zucchini
1/2 red bell pepper - you can use any color, red just makes the dish more colorful
1/2 medium or 1 small yellow onion
1 tablespoon canola oil or vegetable oil
8 matzos (about 270 grams)
2 cups milk
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon butter
Milk Preparation:
I find that soaking the matzo crackers in milk rather than water makes the kugel more "fluffy. It also takes on a very nice color when it's cooked.
If you are using milk, here are a few notes:
- When boiling milk, make sure to stir often to avoid milk burning on the bottom of the saucepan.
- Monitor milk on the stove carefully. As soon as it starts boiling, take the saucepan off the burner to make sure it doesn't boil over.
- I used whole milk. It should work just as well with skim milk or 2% milk.
How to prepare the Savory Matzo Kugel:
- Place the matzos into a large mixing bowl and break into small pieces using your hands.
- In a small saucepan bring 2 cups of milk to a boil. See notes for milk preparation above.
- Next, pour the boiling milk over the matzos in the mixing bowl and mix well to coat. Cover the mixing bowl and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, dice the eggplant, zucchini, red bell pepper, and onion into small pieces, the smaller the better.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium add the diced vegetables and half a teaspoon of salt. Sautee vegetables for about 5-7 minutes until they are tender. Taste the vegetables - add more salt if necessary, stir well, then remove from heat.
- Once the matzos have softened in the milk, add the eggs and half a teaspoon salt. Stir well.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetable mixture to the bowl with the matzos and stir all ingredients together.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet you used to sauté the vegetables and heat over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, reduce heat to medium and distribute the matzo kugel mixture evenly in the skillet. Cover the pan and cook covered for 12 minutes.
- Flip the matzo kugel over: cover it with a large plate or use the cover of the pan. Holding the plate pressed to the top of the matzo kugel with one hand and holding the handle of the skillet with the other, flip the matzo kugel over to the plate (turning the pan over like a waffle maker). Then slide the side of the kugel that has not been cooked yet from the plate back to the skillet. Cook uncovered for 7-8 more minutes and transfer to a serving plate.
Substitute and optional ingredients for the Savory Matzo Kugel:
Substitutes:
Milk: you may substitute milk for water or vegetable/chicken stock - just make sure that the water or stock is boiling hot when you pour it over the broken matzo.
Onion: The onion can be substituted for diced chives or green onions. Use about 2 green onion sprigs or 5-6 diced chives.
Other optional ingredients:
Mushrooms: common, or button mushrooms are a great addition to this recipe. If you are adding mushrooms, sauté them first and then add the eggplant and other vegetable ingredients.
Cilantro: As you probably already know, I love cilantro. Adding about 1/3 cup of diced cilantro leaves will give it a completely new and fresh flavor.
Spinach: You may wish to add about 2 cups of spinach to the vegetables that you've sautéed. Add the spinach last and stir well with the other vegetables. Sautee until the leaves have softened and shrunk.
Garlic: one to two cloves of garlic, especially if you are adding spinach.
Serving Suggestions:
This savory matzo kugel called for a little spice. I used the tangy mustard sauce as a dip and it tasted great. You can also use horseradish, spicy mayo, or any other sauce with a little spice.
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The Recipe:
Recipe
Savory Matzo Kugel
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium eggplant
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1/2 medium or 1 small yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon canola oil or vegetable oil
- 8 matzos about 270 grams
- 2 cups milk
- 6 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Place the matzos into a large mixing bowl and break them into smaller pieces (about 1") using your hands.
- In a small saucepan bring 2 cups of milk to a boil. See notes below for milk preparation.
- Pour the boiling milk over the matzos in the mixing bowl and mix well to coat. Cover the mixing bowl and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, dice the eggplant, zucchini, red bell pepper, and onion into small pieces, the smaller the better.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium add the diced vegetables and half a teaspoon of salt. Sautee vegetables for about 5-7 minutes until they are tender. Taste the vegetables - add more salt if necessary, stir well, then remove from heat. Once the matzos have softened in the milk, add the eggs and half a teaspoon salt. Stir well.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetable mixture to the bowl with the matzos and stir all ingredients together.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet you used to sauté the vegetables and heat over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, reduce heat to medium and distribute the matzo kugel mixture evenly in the skillet. Cover the pan and cook covered for 12 minutes.
- Flip the matzo kugel over: cover it with a large plate or use the cover of the pan. Holding the plate pressed to the top of the matzo kugel with one hand and holding the handle of the skillet with the other, flip the matzo kugel over to the plate (turning the pan over like a waffle maker). Then slide the side of the kugel that has not been cooked yet from the plate back to the skillet. Cook uncovered for 5 to 7 more minutes and transfer to a serving plate.
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