Olive Oil Matzo Recipes

OLIVE OIL MATZO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 500 degrees. Put flour, salt and olive oil in a food processor. Once machine is on, add 1/2 cup water. Continue to run machine until dough forms a firm ball, rides around on blade and is not at all sticky. (If you prefer, whisk together the water and oil and add this to machine all at once.)
• Cut dough into 12 small balls - this is easiest if you cut the ball in half, then half again, then into thirds - and flatten each into a 3- to 4-inch patty. On a well-floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll each patty into a 6- to 8-inch circle. The shapes can be irregular, but dough should be so thin you can almost see through it.
• Put dough on ungreased cookie sheets, sprinkle with sea salt if you like, and bake for about 2 to 3 minutes, keeping a very close eye on breads - they can burn very quickly. Once they begin to puff up and brown, flip and cook for another minute or so on second side. Repeat with all the dough and let cool completely.

EASY MATZO

Steps:

• With the racks positioned the top third and middle, heat oven to 500 degrees.
• In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to stir together all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour and kosher salt. Add in 1/2 cup water and the 1/4 cup oil, and stir until a pliable dough forms, adding more water if the dough seems dry.
• Lightly flour a work surface, and knead dough briefly until it becomes smooth. Cut dough into 4 even pieces. Re-flour your work surface, if necessary, and use a rolling pin to roll out 2 pieces as thinly as you can, about 6 to 8 inches in diameter. (They should be almost translucent.) Aim for rounds, but don't worry if they are oblong.
• Transfer each matzo to a separate cookie sheet, and prick each one all over with a fork. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if you like. Bake until golden all over and lightly browned in spots, about 7 to 12 minutes. (Timing will depend on how thinly you rolled the dough.) Transfer matzos to a wire rack and let cool.
• While first batch is baking, roll out remaining dough. If you have enough baking sheets, transfer the rolled dough onto another two sheets. If not, use the warm sheet trays you used in the first batch, being careful while transferring and pricking the dough with a fork. Bake and cool.

BEST MATZAH BALLS

Steps:

• Whisk eggs and olive oil in a bowl until combined; stir both amounts of club soda and salt into egg mixture. Mix matzo meal into wet ingredients to form a workable dough; if mixture is too wet, stir in 1/4 cup more matzo meal. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Wet your hands and form matzo ball dough into walnut-size balls. Gently place matzo balls into boiling water. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer matzo balls until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

MATZO-RELLA STICKS

Steps:

• For the matzo ball batter: Whisk together the eggs, oil and seltzer in a medium bowl. Add the matzo meal, Parmesan, baking powder, garlic powder, oregano, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and mix just until combined; do not overmix. The batter will be wet and sticky. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours so the matzo meal can absorb the liquid.
• For the matzo coating: When the batter is almost ready, mix together the matzo meal, Parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, parsley and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl or on a plate.
• For the assembly: Place the potato starch in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Put some water in a small bowl. Coat 1 cheese stick in the potato starch. Wet your fingers with some water to prevent the matzo ball batter from sticking to your skin, then coat the cheese stick with 1/8 to 1/4 inch of the batter. Make sure the cheese is completely covered so it doesn't leak out during frying. The batter should stick to the cheese easily and form a smooth matzo ball log. If it's not sticking well, stir in a little more seltzer. If it's too sticky, add a little more matzo meal.
• Roll the stick in the matzo coating while shaping it into a cylinder, then set on a plate. Repeat with the other cheese sticks. You should have enough batter for 6 or 7 cheese sticks. Refrigerate the coated sticks.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed medium pot to 350 degrees F. Fry 2 or 3 coated sticks at a time, leaving the rest in the refrigerator, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. (Don't overcrowd the pot or the oil temperature will lower too much.) You can test one to make sure the fry time is perfect; Stick a toothpick into one end of the stick. If there is no resistance from the cheese, then it is melted. And if you cut the stick, the cheese should be stringy, but not completely melted. Sprinkle with a little salt, then repeat with the remaining coated sticks. Serve hot with the Marinara Sauce.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Making sure they do not burn. Add the garlic, reduce the heat to low and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until it darkens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water and mix to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are soft, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Serve the sauce as is or, for a smoother texture, blend with an immersion blender. The sauce will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.