Five Great Passover Recipes

Last week's focused on some great ideas for "staycations" in the Westwood area.

Now, with April finally here, we're putting the spotlight on some great Passover recipes. The first was recommended to us by a Westwood Patch reader, and the remaining are suggestions for recipes taken from various sources.

Chocolate Covered Matzoh

Ingredients:

• 6 sheets Matzoh crackers
• 12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 lb butter
• 1 cup sugar
• Optional: 1 cup walnuts (or any other nuts/candies)

Directions:

• Put foil on a cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray.
• Arrange matzoh on cookie sheet (break if you need to).
• Melt the butter (stove top) and add sugar and cook until bubbly.
• Pour to cover evenly over Matzoh.
• Put into oven (350 degrees) for 5 minutes.
• Take out and cover with choc chips -put back into oven for about 3-5 min.
• Take out of the oven spread chocolate over the matzoh to cover evenly.
• Sprinkle with optional toppings.
• Refrigerate until firm.
• Break into pieces.

Source: Chrissie Foye, Westwood Patch reader.

Matzoh Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

• Butter
• Two pieces of matzoh
• American or other style of cheese

Directions:

• Melt some butter in a frying pan.
• Run one sheet of matzoh under warm water quickly so that it is damp but not soggy.
• Put it in a frying pan, then layer it with American cheese or any other cheese you like.
• Run a second piece of matzoh under warm water, then place it on top of the cheese.
• Cook over medium heat until the cheese starts to melt, then carefully flip it over.  When the cheese is hot and bubbly, the sandwich is done!

Source: Amy Cook, President,

Passover Brownies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 bars chocolate
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cake meal
• 1/2 cup nuts

Directions:

• Melt chocolate and cool.
• Beat eggs and salt until thick.
• Beat in sugar and cooled chocolate.
• Gradually add cake meal and nuts.
• Pour into a greased 8 inch pan.
• Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Source: Amy Cook, President, .

Passover Jam Squares

• 2 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 cup sugar, divided in half
• 1/2 cup cake meal
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• 3/4 cup jam
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

• Mix yolks, butter and 1/2 cup sugar very well.
• Add cake meal and potato starch. 
• Pat in a un-greased 9 x 13 pan. 
• Spread with the jam of your choice.
• Bake 10 minutes in an oven heated to 350 degrees. 
• Beat egg whites until stiff.  
• Gradually add the rest of the sugar and cinnamon. 
• Spread over baked mixture and bake for 25 minutes. 
• Cool and cut into squares.

Source: Amy Cook, President, .

Matzoh Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 1 package Tofu
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1 lb ground beef (see note below)
  • NOTE: The fillings are according to your kashrut practices. We substitute tofu for ricotta cheese (for lactose intolerance).  You can substitute sautéed mushrooms or spinach for the ground beef.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Coat the bottom of a 9 x 11-inch baking pan with the tomato sauce. 
• Put down a layer of matzoh, then ground beef, spaghetti sauce, and cheese. 
• Place another layer of matzoh, covered with mashed tofu (or ricotta), spaghetti sauce, and cheese. 
• Top it with a third layer of matzo covered with spaghetti sauce and cheese. 
• Cover pan with foil and cook for 30 minutes. 
• Remove foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Source: Howie Allen of Norwood; Courtesy of Amy Cook, President, .

Bonus: Passover Biscotti/Mandelbrot

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup pareve margarine
• 6 eggs
• 2 3/4 cups matzo cake meal
• 3/4 cup potato starch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a large cookie sheet.
• In a large bowl, cream together the 2 cups sugar and margarine until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Combine the cake meal, potato starch and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in almonds and chocolate chips. The mixture will be heavy. Form into 2 long oval loaves. Place onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the top with a mixture of 2 teaspoons sugar and cinnamon.
• Bake for 50 to 55 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center, comes out clean.
• Slice the loaves into about 1/2 inch slices. 
• Let them cool till warm (about 15 or 20 minutes) and slice. 
• Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and lay pieces on sides. 
• Bake for 5 minutes on each side. 
• Cool completely.

Source: Andrea Dine (wife of Rabbi Jeffrey Wildstein), .