Matzo Brei
The Passover breakfast. Matzo broken into pieces, briefly soaked to soften, beaten with eggs, then cooked in butter to a chunky scramble or a single golden pancake. Sweet with cinnamon sugar and sour cream, or savoury with smoked salmon and chives.
Overview
The eight-day Passover diet rests on matzo, and matzo brei is the dish that turns yesterday's plain matzo crackers into a proper hot breakfast. Pieces of matzo go briefly under warm water until they soften (but don't disintegrate), then drain. They get folded into beaten salted eggs, sit a minute so the matzo drinks in the egg, and then go into hot foaming butter. Two finishes: cook flat as a thick pancake and flip, or break up and scramble. Eaten immediately with whichever topping the household votes for.
Ingredients
The brei
- 4 sheets plain matzo
- 4 large eggs
- 2 generous pinches kosher salt
- A generous grind of black pepper
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter (or schmaltz for the savoury version)
Sweet finish (pick one)
- 2 tablespoons strawberry jam (or apricot)
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Savoury finish (or pick one of these instead)
- 80 g smoked salmon (sliced thin)
- 2 tablespoons soft cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- A squeeze of lemon
Method
Stage 1 - Soak the matzo
- Break the matzo into roughly 4 cm pieces and pile in a colander or wide bowl.
- Run warm (not hot) water over the pieces for 10-15 seconds, turning with your hands so every piece gets wet. The matzo softens fast - over-soak and it turns to porridge; under-soak and it stays sharp at the edges.
- Drain in the colander and press gently to release excess water. The pieces should feel pliable but still have some texture, like a wet sponge.
Stage 2 - Mix with egg
- Crack the eggs into a wide bowl. Add the salt and pepper. Beat with a fork until uniform.
- Tip the drained matzo into the eggs. Fold gently with a spatula until every piece is coated.
- Let the mixture sit for 2 minutes. The matzo continues to absorb the egg and the mix tightens. This rest matters - a quick cook from a wet mix gives mushy brei.
Stage 3 - Cook
- Heat the butter in a medium non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until it bubbles vigorously but is not browning.
- Pour the egg-matzo mixture into the pan in an even layer.
- For the pancake style: cook undisturbed for 3 minutes until the underside is set and golden. Flip in one piece (slide onto a plate, invert the pan over the plate, flip back) and cook another 2 minutes. Slide onto a warm plate and cut in half.
- For the scrambled style: after 1 minute, start breaking the matzo brei into large rough chunks with a spatula and stirring gently. Continue for 2-3 minutes until the eggs are set but still soft, the matzo pieces holding shape but warmed through.
Stage 4 - Finish
- Sweet: top with sour cream, a spoon of jam, and a generous shake of cinnamon sugar. The classic combination is half-sweet-half-savoury - sour cream on one half, jam on the other.
- Savoury: top with cream cheese, a few slices of smoked salmon, chopped chives, a squeeze of lemon.
Notes
- Matzo brei is a fast breakfast and only takes 7 minutes once you have the matzo broken. Worth using slightly stale matzo if it's available; fresher matzo can disintegrate at the soak stage.
- The sweet-vs-savoury debate runs through every Ashkenazi household. The pancake style suits sweet finishes (clean slices, even base for the toppings); the scrambled style suits savoury (the smoked salmon weaves through the chunks).
- Some cooks add a splash of milk to the eggs for a softer brei; others insist water only, which keeps the brei kosher with both meat and dairy meals. Pick your tradition.
Serving
On warm plates straight from the pan, with strong coffee. Beside a bowl of fresh berries or a half-grapefruit if you want to dress it up.
Storage
Best fresh - the texture suffers on reheating. Leftovers keep in a covered container in the fridge for 1 day; refresh in a hot non-stick pan for 2 minutes if you must.
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