Matzo

Matzoh Balls Although matzoh balls were usually served in soup, we were always happy to have leftovers, cooked and kept in the refrigerator, then sliced and fried in butter the next morning for breakfast. The result is not unlike semolina gnocchi.

What to drink: The menu's sweet-tart flavors call for a floral Riesling or spicy Syrah.

Gefilte fish is one of those recipes where touch and taste are essential ingredients. A basic recipe goes this way:"You put in this and add that." If you don't want to taste the raw fish, add a bit more seasoning than you normally would. What makes this recipe Galicianer (southern Polish) is the addition of sugar. For some reason the farther south in Poland, the more sugar would be added. A Lithuanian Jew would never sweeten with sugar but might add beets to the stock. I have added ground carrot and parsnip to the fish, something that is done in the Ukraine, because I like the slightly sweet taste and rougher texture. If you want a darker broth, do not peel the onions and leave them whole.

This is a colorful variation on the classic potato latke.

This matzo ball soup recipe calls for hours of simmering, which enriches the homemade chicken stock with concentrated flavor. The schmaltz doesn’t hurt either.

Hearty and packed with caramelized cabbage, this vegetarian matzo ball soup doesn’t miss the chicken.

For a creamy, comforting, and super-savory kugel, chef Bonnie Morales soaks matzo in a homemade mushroom stock, then mixes it with Swiss chard and crème fraîche.

Chef Einat Admony’s soup marries Ashkenazi matzo ball soup with the Yemeni chicken soup she grew up eating during Shabbat in Israel.

This recipe serves eight people generously (with two balls each) but could easily stretch to serve 16 smaller appetizer-sized portions.

The perfect matzo ball doesn’t require seltzer, baking powder, egg whites, or even a light touch, and this recipe proves it.

Ask your fishmonger to fillet the fish for you, remove the skin and pin bones, then hack up the bones. That’s why they’ve got the waterproof apron and stainless steel equipment back there, right? The size of the individual whole fishes doesn’t matter—just make sure you have about 7 pounds total.

Feel free to riff on this recipe and use any toasted nut or topping you like—try swapping in puffed rice, pecans, or dried currants.