An Unleavened Week

My kid attends a Jewish daycare. It's the best in the neighborhood. Although she's been there for almost two years, I still smack myself in the forehead every Passover when we need to pack lunches that do not contain anything made from leavened bread. I forgot last week, and had to make an emergency run to the supermarket last night. $87 later, I'm fully stocked for the remaining four days of school. (I panicked, and bought every kind of tortilla, potato and matzah in the supermarket.)

The school had a mini seder last week where the kids sang a few songs, and the parents brought in some food. I tried to get there early, but I was bringing veggies and dip, and I hate cutting up the vegetables the night before. They get dry. You could pack them in water in the fridge, but then you still have to drain them, and when you run them through a salad spinner, they get all disorganized.

You had no idea I had such domestic OCD, did you.

By the time we got there, the parking lot was so choked with minivans, I had to park on the grass. It was like Woodstock, but for Passover. It was Pesachstock. Which doesn't really roll off the tongue with any great delicacy.

I would have taken photos, but I needed the batteries for something else and forgot to replace the ones in my camera. The kids sang a song about Pharoh waking up with frogs in his bed, and frogs on his nose, and frogs on his toes, and then they sang "the frogs were JUMPING, JUMPING EV-RY-WHERE!" and a room full of two and three-year olds got up and started frantically jumping in every direction, and I was kicking myself for being the worst parent in the world for not recording this moment.

Today's lunch was matzah brie, sugar snap peas, peach slices, and mozzarella cheese. I took a photo so I could look back at this next year and remember what the hell I did.

Matzah Brie:

(The "brie" is pronounced "bry", not like your favorite soft runny French cheese. Although brie in a brie, .... hmmm. I don't know if there's a real market for Nouvelle Jewish with a three-year old.)

I've heard that brie (the Hebrew one) means "to scald", which would explain the hot water in this recipe, but I've also heard that it just means "fried", which also makes sense. And I'm too lazy to ask anyone. Sometimes food doesn't really need a name. Ask Jackie, who grew up eating "You'd Better Fucking Eat it Because I Made it For You", which is a really nice crispy spaghetti fritatta, heavy on the parmesan, that my mother used to make when I was little.

4 pieces of matzah

3 small eggs

boiling water

oil, for frying

salt & pepper (I use Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Salt instead - my kid isn't too big on the pepper)

Some people prefer the sweet version, but I like mine basic. If you want the sweet version, omit the salt and pepper and treat it like french toast. You can add sugar, jam, or whatever else floats your boat.

Break up the matzah into two-inch sized pieces. Place in a strainer, and pour the boiling water over the matzah to scald and soften. Not too much, or it will be too mushy. Let drain. I dry it a little more with a paper towel.

Heat the oil in a medium-high frying pan.

Beat the eggs, add a little salt & pepper, and add the drained matzah, coating with the egg mixture.

Fry in the oil until a golden brown on both sides. Season to taste.