Matzo Kugel

              R3A2 VERSION OF BABA'S MATZO KUGEL

PRELIMINARIES
Preheat oven to 350. Have on hand a 9x13 baking dish or two 8x8 ones. Grease now, or if you want to use the same 9x13 for wetting the matzo (step 1) as you do for baking, remember to grease the dish after emptying and drying it after step 5. For greasing, I use a Passover-suitable oil, such as canola or peanut oil, ~ 1T.
      When I was a kid, everyone used peanut oil at Passover
      so I do, too. Canola oil (not even under its old name,
      rapeseed oil) was not available as far as I know.

MAKE THE PUDDING
1. Use the perforations to break into 4-5 strips each
     * 4 matzos
but don't worry if the breaks aren't clean. Put all the matzo into a large flat dish that lets the strips lie flat in 2 layers.
      I usually use a Corningware roasting pan but, in a small
      hotel suites kitchen, I used the same 9x13 dish (ungreased
      at this point) that I later used for baking.
Pour on top
     * 2 1/2 c. hot tap water
Leave MATZO to soften while you do the other steps. Baba said to squeeze out excess water, see step 5, but I find that if I use 2 1/2 c. (she said 2-3 cups) all the water is absorbed and there's no liquid left in the dish. Check on the MATZO as you do the next steps: if any top pieces are still dry, look to see if there is any water at the bottom of the dish. If there is, move the dry pieces into the water. If not, leave them on top and wet them with a tablespoon or so more water.

2. Use the chopping blade in your food processor to chop
     * 1/2 c. slivered almonds
so that they are in small pieces. Today's food processors are so strong they make some of the almonds into powder, but don't worry: a little almond powder is OK, too. If you don't have a food processor or just prefer chopping by hand, chop the slivers into pieces ~ 1/8" long. Place those ALMONDS in a small bowl along with
     * 1/2 c. seedless raisins
and set the bowl aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat (I use a manual egg beater)
     * 6 eggs
Then beat in
     * 1/2 c. sugar
     * 1/2 tsp. salt
     * 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

4. Peel core, Cuisinart-shred or julienne by hand into ~1/8" wide strips, and put into the egg mixture (no need to stir yet)
     * about 1 3/4 to 2 lbs apples (4 large)
[What kind of apples? Baba's recipe said "tart" but Phil sometimes used sweet apples. Recently I used half Honey Crisp and half Granny Smith and the result was delicious. But then it always is.] Then grate directly onto the top of the apple/egg mixture (and still no need to stir yet) the peel of
     * 1 orange (I usually use a large one, maybe 1/2 lb)

5. Squeeze out any excess water (but it certainly doesn't have to be dry)
     * that MATZO
and put it in the large bowl by handfuls. Gently fold it into the egg mixture. This will also incorporate the APPLE and ORANGE PEEL. Then fold in
     * those ALMONDS and RAISINS

6. Put pudding into the greased baking dish. Top with
     * 1/2 T sugar (Baba said 1T but I use less)
     * cinnamon (Baba said 1/2 tsp but I just sprinkle on
         a light covering)
and then pour gently on top, zigzagging for good coverage,
     * 1/4 c peanut (or canola) oil.

7. Bake 45 minutes. Top should brown, but that's mostly the cinnamon. If edges get a little black, it's done, but I try to avoid that. A toothpick should come out clean.

MAKE AHEAD: It's fine - and maybe even better - to make ahead, freeze and then reheat at any convenient temperature, whether thawed or, if the baking dish can take it, frozen. I like the firmer texture that you get with rich desserts, such as chocolate cheesecake, when made ahead and then frozen and thawed. Matzo Kugel is the same. It's wonderful straight from the oven but it will be softer and looser that way.

Leftovers, if any, are delicious cold, room temperature or reheated.
Servings: 16
Prep time: 45? minutes
Baking: 45 minutes

NOTES
1. I think Baba may have invented this recipe. Making a sweet pudding with matzo instead of bread or noodles is something I've never seen elsewhere. I haven't done a search though. And pouring the oil on top of the pudding so it browns and stays moist inside: genius!

2. I call matzo kugel 'the dessert that masquerades as a side dish.' Charoses, of course, is 'the dessert that masquerades as a required ceremonial dish before the meal.' (Baba's Charoses will be added to the blog some day.) No wonder everyone loves Passover: there's dessert before, during, and after the meal. Baba's star dessert was angel food cake (12 eggs) with lemon sauce (more eggs). I make things with far less, or no, eggs: Passover Macaroons, Matzo Crunch or Dried Fruit Compote .

First typed 20030413 rjm, rev 20180410

Dried Fruit Compote

R3A2 DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE

Based on a Martha Stewart recipe. This is a crowd-pleasing dessert that goes well after a heavy meal such as at Thanksgiving, Easter or Passover. It's parve, vegan and gluten-free and has no nuts, no wheat and no chocolate. Quick and easy. Suitable for a pot-luck. Make it a day or two ahead or just before the meal.

INGREDIENTS*

3 c. apple cider (the result is very sweet so maybe substitute
      part water next time? I used Martinelli's cider
      but would use unfiltered fresh cider in season.)
6 dried pears halves (I cut each pear-half lengthwise into four
      strips, then crosswise into thirds)
12 dried apricots (they also are halves but Martha doesn't
      mention this; I cut them crisscross into quarters)
6 dried pitted prunes, optional (Martha doesn't mention prunes
      but I like the taste and the contrasting dark note to
      what is otherwise all orange-red. I cut them in sixths.)
3/4 c. dried cherries (about 5 oz.)
3/4 c. dried golden raisins (about 5 oz.)
1 lemon, zest and juice
1/2" piece of raw ginger, peeled
2 cinnamon sticks
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (or more or none: the spicy taste
      seemed to fade away with cooling, so maybe add it after
      cooking? Martha used a pinch of freshly ground white pepper
      which might survive the simmering better.)

* Fruit choices and amounts are pretty much Martha's. You could vary them based on taste, availability, price, etc. For example, pear halves and dried cherries may be harder to find and more expensive than other dried fruit.

.

COOKING

-> Chop larger fruit into pieces a little larger than a raisin. Peel the ginger. Zest and juice the lemon. (My zester is hard to use so I just grate the peel on my vintage flat grater).
-> Put all ingredients in a saucepan (2-3 quarts), except maybe not the pepper.
-> Bring to a boil and then, per Martha, "[r]educe to simmer, and cook until fruit is soft and liquid is thick, about 20 minutes."

After 20 minutes my fruit was soft but the liquid was still thin. I gave it another 10 minutes and then tried raising the heat to a gentle boil. After an hour had elapsed - and the liquid was not much thicker than the cider I started with - I took it off the stove. Fortunately, the liquid thickens and is mostly absorbed as the compote cools. I therefore conclude that it would be fine to simmer or gently boil for 20-30 minutes and not to care whether the liquid gets syrupy. If there's still too much liquid after the compote cools, drain some of it and toss or reduce, and the next time use less cider.

-> Remove pot from stove and remove the cinnamon stick and piece of ginger (cook's bonus if you like ginger). Stir in pepper flakes now if you didn't add them before.
-> Martha says "Serve hot, cold or at room temperature." I cooled my compote in the pot with the lid cocked a bit to release steam, then refrigerated it in a covered serving bowl. I took it out before the meal and served it at room temperature for dessert with almond paste macaroons and Phil's Baba's Passover Chocolate Chip Cookies (recipe to be posted).
Makes great leftovers. Also could be used over ice cream.
Prep: 10 mins. Cooking: 25 mins (Martha), ~65 mins (me). Optional cooling time: ~30 mins.

rjm 20170412

ALMOND MACAROONS (PASSOVER)

R3A2 RECIPE FOR BECKY EISENBERG'S ODENSE-BRAND ALMOND PASTE
PESACH ALMOND MACAROONS

7 oz tube of almond paste, cut into < 1" sections
2 egg whites
1/3 c. sugar (original was 1/2 but that's too much)

     Put everything in Cuisinart. Pulse a few times to chop up the paste and then switch to continuous ON until uniform, maybe as much as 60 seconds or more.

     Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet lined with brown paper or
parchment and bake at 325 for ~30 minutes.  The maccaroons will spread but you can always cut them apart.

     Makes one batch (alas).  Store airtight for a few days or,
even better, use promptly.  They may harden - or soften -
otherwise.

PS  Odense-brand may not be KFP.  If that matters, maybe just try pre-grinding 7 oz. of blanched almonds with some sugar and maybe an extra egg white, then add more sugar and egg whites to make a loose enough mixture for cookies.


                                             rjm 4/19/08, 3/30/12
    

MATZO CRUNCH

For a one-sheet PDF of the R3A2 Matzo Crunch recipe, please click here.