What could be more eastern European than little balls of tasteless dough cooked in a simple broth? I can easily imagine a Jewish Ukrainian housewife many years ago staring at an empty winter pantry right before the seder and desperately asking herself: “What could I possibly make with a little matzah meal, a couple of eggs and some old root vegetables?”

The answer was kneidlach.

The truly curious thing is that we still make kneidlach today, as if we were Ukrainian villagers centuries ago. I love tradition, and I’ll probably make my mom’s kneidlach for a long time to come, just for the sake of all those warm childhood memories. Yet, putting aside all that Jewish guilt if I didn’t follow my family’s traditions, I feel that updated, truly tasty kneidlach can be a fun part of every seder.

The key to really delicate and fluffy kneidlach, not unlike a good cake, is to introduce lots of air into the dough by folding in whipped egg whites. The results are wonderfully light morsels that are a refreshing change from all the other dense Passover fare.

For the dough
1 cup matzah meal
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups boiling chicken or vegetable stock (or water)
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. pareve pesto (recipe follows)
2 medium eggs, separated
For the ‘pesto’
1 cup fresh basil, parsley or cilantro leaves, washed and picked
2 tbsp. pecans, walnuts or pine nuts
1 garlic clove, peeled
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt and freshly ground pepper

Place a large casserole-type pot filled with salted water to boil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the matzah meal, oil, stock and salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Rest, covered, for 15 minutes.

In the meanwhile, make the pesto.

By hand: mince herbs and nuts and combine in a bowl and mix well.

In a food processor: Add the oil and garlic and blitz until smooth. Add the herbs and the nuts and blitz into a paste. Season, mix gently and taste to adjust the seasoning. It can be either be chunky, adding little nut and herb pieces to the texture of the kneidlach, or smooth, leaving the kneidlach delicate and refined.

 Stir 3 tbsp. of the pesto into the matzah meal mixture.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks for a minute to incorporate some air, and then stir into the matzah meal mixture. Whisk the egg whites to a stable foam, and gently fold into the dough until just combined.

Working quickly, dip the tip of a teaspoon or a tablespoon (depending on the size of kneidlach you want) in the pot of boiling water, and then gently scoop out some of the dough. Use a second spoon to drop it into the water. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

The kneidlach will surface after a short while. Simmer gently for 15 minutes more.

If you plan on storing the kneidlach before serving, cool completely before storing and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in simmering salted water or in the soup they will be served in.

Kneidlach stuffed with sautEed mushrooms and thyme

For the dough
7 oz. matzah meal
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 eggs, separated
3 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, washed and picked, chopped finely
1 cup water
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper

For the mushroom filling
3 cups mushrooms of your choice (Portobello, wild mushrooms, button mushrooms, etc.) – cut into small cubes
4 tbsp. olive oil or chicken fat
3 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, washed and picked
2 shallots or one small onion, peeled and minced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced

In a large bowl, mix the matzah meal, olive oil, egg yolks, thyme and seasoning. Pour in the water slowly, while stirring. Whisk and fold in the egg whites as described in the previous recipe. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the oil or fat in a skillet over low heat and sauté the shallots gently to a light golden color. Increase the heat to high and add the mushrooms, thyme and garlic. Sauté until mushrooms are soft and the liquids have evaporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool.
With wet hands, form little balls out of the dough. Use your thumb to create a dent in each ball and spoon in (with a teaspoon) some filling. Close the hole and roll again to create an even round ball. Cook in simmering salted water for 20 minutes. Store and serve as described above.