Frugal Food Thursday: Matzo Balls

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A few weeks ago, I shared my recipe for chicken soup, so this week I thought I'd share my favorite soup accompaniment: matzo balls.

For those of you who have never had them, they're basically soup dumplings made from matzo meal (matzo ground finely), eggs, oil, and water.  They're cooked separately, then added to the soup before serving.  My kids love to have them on Friday night.  The one down side is sometimes they get filled up on soup and don't want to have the main course.

For this recipe, you'll want matzo meal, not matzo ball soup mix.  You can find matzo meal in the Jewish food section of your supermarket.  Or at least I can here; I don't know if other areas carry it.  But Passover is coming up next month, and even supermarkets that don't normally carry kosher food might have a separate section for Passover food, and matzo meal should be found there.  Also, you could try Walmart or one of the warehouse clubs.

If it's truly not available in your area, you could try ordering it. Amazon has several brands, including four cans of Yehuda matzo meal for $12.26.  You could use Amazon gift cards from Swagbucks to pay for it!

This recipe is based on the one on the box of Streit's matzo meal, but I make it a little thicker so that the matzo balls are denser and heavier.  Others like a lighter matzo ball.  My husband says that if you throw it at the wall and it doesn't leave a dent, it's not a real matzo ball.

MATZO BALLS

4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1-1/4 cup matzo meal
2 tbsp chicken broth or water

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Add the oil, salt, and pepper, and mix until thoroughly combined.  Add the matzo meal and mix until the matzo meal is moistened.  Add the water and mix again.  Put the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Boil 8 cups of water in a large pot, adding salt to taste.  Remove the matzo meal mixture.  Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the mixture and form it into a ball with your hands.  Place the rolled balls on a plate.  Continue until all of the mixture has been used, about 12-16 balls.  Place matzo balls into the boiling water with a slotted spoon.  Once all the matzo balls are in the pot, cover and turn down to low.  Allow the matzo balls to simmer gently for 30-40 minutes.

Remove matzo balls with a slotted spoon and place in heated chicken soup.  Serve 2-3 matzo balls per serving of soup.

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