Matzah grilled cheese
A simple, family-friendly dish
I thought long and hard before submitting a Passover recipe this year. I usually publish a dessert or fancier meat option for the seder but this year I decided that a simple, family-friendly weekday recipe would be the most helpful thing I could offer.
My kids get bored with matzah pizza day after day, and there is only so much cream cheese, egg salad or tuna salad one can offer. A few years ago I started making these little sandwiches and they seemed to hit the spot for my entire family.
I’m sharing an easy filling recipe for the sandwich but the real gift is the general technique. Once you get that down, the possibilities are endless. You can stuff these with just about any filling imaginable as long as it’s appropriate for Passover. I’ve made cheese breakfast blintzes, mashed potato with cheese, tuna melts, spinach and feta, and even ground meat with spices.
Ingredients:
4 sheets square matzah
1 egg lightly beaten
Oil or butter for pan frying
Cheese filling:
1 cup shredded cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon matzah cake meal
Pinch of salt
Lay out a thin, clean kitchen towel and run each square of matzah under the tap for 10 seconds per side. Stack the damp matzah onto the towel and gently wrap the towel around the matzah so that it’s completely covered.
The matzah must rest for 25-30 minutes before you make the sandwiches. I’ve rushed it and had a crumbly mess, so learn from my mistakes and wait it out.
Mix the filling ingredients in a small bowl. You can use any grated cheese. The kosher cheese blend from Costco is affordable and convenient, so that’s what I tend to use. Adding an egg and a little bit of matzah cake meal helps bind the cheese filling so it doesn’t run out of the sandwich when it melts. If you try this with a meat filling, keep in mind that it shouldn’t be wet or too oily, and strain off extra liquid before filling the matzah.
Whisk one egg and put it into a separate dish. Once you assemble the sandwiches you will coat the sandwich in the egg for a few seconds on each side before pan frying.
Machine-made/boxed matzah has perforated lines running through it. Position the matzah so the lines are running vertically as you’re looking down at the counter. Imagine the matzah having 4 squares per piece if that helps visually. There will be a line running right through the center of the matzah. Take clean kitchen shears and gently cut up the middle line to the mid-center point of the matzah. Imagine each corner has a number from 1 to 4. Start in one bottom corner next to where you cut the seam of the matzah. It doesn’t matter if you start on the left side or the right side.
Sometimes a corner of the matzah will tear; if that happens, piece it back together and try to start with that corner because the filling and loose matzah will get turned up and sealed into the second fold.
Each sandwich will hold about 3 tablespoons of filling. Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the first quarter and 1 tablespoon in the opposite diagonal corner, which would be the third square. Let’s say you’re starting with the bottom lefthand quarter. Gently spread and pat down 2 tablespoons of filling. Fold the filling quarter up to the top and match the edges as best as you can. Then fold it right to seal the third quarter that has the extra tablespoon of filling, before folding it down to complete the sandwich.
Dip this into an egg mixture for a few seconds on each side. If there are any tears in the matzah the egg mixture will help seal it together.
Fry these like you would any sandwich — over medium-low to medium heat and with a tablespoon or two of oil or butter in the pan. Cook about 2 minutes per side or until gently browned and remove from the pan.
The matzah itself is pretty flavorless so sprinkle a little sea salt over each side of the cooked square.
Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
One of these usually fills me up but a hungry person might eat two. You can also cut each square diagonally to make triangle-shaped halves; kids love them this way.
These are also good at room temperature, so you can send them in a packed lunch; there is no need to reheat.
If they feel a little greasy, serve them in a napkin. It makes the kids happy to hold something in their hands that feels like a sandwich.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge and warmed in the oven on a baking sheet.
This recipe makes 4 matzah squares and it’s easy to make a larger batch.
I hope this recipe gives you new options to serve over the holiday and I encourage you to get creative.
Chag kasher v’sameach! Enjoy and bless your hands. PJC
Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh.
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