Matzah balls, also known as knaydlach (pl.) (knaydel, singular) in Yiddish, (also matza balls, matzo balls, or matzoh balls) are a traditional Ashkenazi (East-European Jewish) dumpling made from matzah meal, a flour-like product produced by grinding matzah.
Matzah balls in soupMatzah balls combine matzah meal with eggs, fat and seasonings, usually salt and pepper. Seltzer water (for lightness) and sautéed onions may also be employed. The traditional fat is schmaltz, which imparts a distinctive flavor, but most contemporary cooks use vegetable oils due to health concerns. There are also recipes for vegetarian Matzah balls.
The balls are shaped by hand and dropped into a pot of salted, boiling water or chicken soup. (Keeping one's hands wet is vital when handling the sticky dough.) The balls swell during the short boiling time and come out feather-light or dense, depending on the way the recipe was prepared. Matzah balls are roughly spherical and can range anywhere from a few centimeters in diameter to the size of a large orange, depending on preference. They can be frozen and reheated in a pot of simmering soup.
Matzah balls are most commonly served as a complement to chicken soup, or in the form of "matzah ball soup," which is simply chicken broth served with the dumplings.
Matzah balls are naturally popular during Passover, during which time flour is replaced with matzah meal in observant Jewish households. They are also eaten at other times of year, especially on Shabbat. To many Ashkenazi Jews, matzah balls are a quintessential comfort food.
