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Matzo brei
Matzo brei (מצה בריי): softened matzo fried with beaten egg, sweet or savoury
During the eight days of Passover, when bread is off the table, matzo brei is what Ashkenazi households all over Israel make for breakfast, and families argue cheerfully about whether it should be sweet or salty. Sheets of matzo are broken up, briefly soaked, squeezed and stirred into beaten eggs, then fried in butter until golden in places and soft in others. Eat it with cinnamon sugar or jam, or with salt, pepper and fried onions. Matzo is wheat, so this is not gluten free. The common mistake is soaking the matzo too long, which turns it to wet paste; it only needs a quick dip. Chef's tip: let the mixture sit undisturbed in the pan for a minute before turning, to get proper golden patches.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
To serve (sweet)
- 2 tbsp cinnamon sugar (optional)
- 2 tbsp jam (optional)
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Break 3 matzo sheets into 3–4 cm pieces in a sieve and run under warm water for 15–20 seconds, just until softened but not soggy. Squeeze gently and leave to drain.
1 minStep 3: Melt ⅔ oz butter in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until foaming. Pour in the mixture and leave it for 1 minute until set underneath.
1 minStep 4: Turn and break it up with a spatula, cooking for another 3–4 minutes until the egg is fully set and the pieces have golden patches.
4 minStep 5: Serve hot, sprinkled with 2 tbsp cinnamon sugar or with 2 tbsp jam, or with salt and pepper for a savoury version.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does matzo brei take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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