Matzo Farfel Frittata

with caramelized vegetables and smoky hollandaise

A Vegetarian Passover Entrée

a perfect center-of-the-plate entrée for your Seder or at any time during the holiday week

Looking for other ideas for Vegetarian Passover Entrées?

Try this Twice Roasted Acorn Squash with Quinoa Pilaf Stuffing, or this fabulous Eggplant Bourguignon.

Whether you’re making a full vegetarian Seder or you need a vegetarian entrée to serve alongside your chicken/brisket, here are 6 reasons why this matzo farfel frittata is a perfect choice.

1. It’s delicious.

2. It’s not complicated to make—and that’s important because you’re making lots of other things.

3. You can make it in advance and finish it in the oven just before serving—and that’s important because you’re making lots of other things.

4. It’s light and fluffy, yet satisfying

5. It’s got plenty of protein.

6. It’s dairy free, so you can serve it on the same table with meat dishes

7. It’s delicious.

With all that said, on its own this dish makes a wonderful breakfast or lunch, as well as a light supper any day of the week. Just add a crisp green salad!

Caramelized onions make everything good. Caramelized mushrooms make it even better. If you’re making this frittata for an all-dairy meal, you can toss in some crumbled feta or grated gruyere if you’re so inclined.

Ingredients:

4 cups matzo farfel, regular or whole wheat

boiling water

Good fruity olive oil, as needed

1 jumbo or 2 smaller yellow or white onions

6 ounces mushrooms, any type, thinly sliced (slices halved if the mushrooms are large)

1 large granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced

3 to 4 large cloves garlic

¼ cup orange liqueur, calvados, or another apple liqueur

10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and the water squeezed out

about ½ cup chopped leafy herbs, such as parsley, dill, cilantro…whatever you like

a few sprigs of thyme, leaves removed from the stalks

1 tablespoon za’atar, or to taste

½ cup stock, chicken flavored or vegetable

8 eggs, 4 of them separated

kosher salt and pepper as needed

Optional: thin slices of zucchini dipped in egg wash, then in matzo meal seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and pan fried in oil, turning once, until crispy on both sides.

Optional: crumbled feta cheese or shredded gruyere, as much as you’d like—about ½ to ¾ cup.

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350°.

• Pour a glug of olive oil into a large skillet. Warm the oil and add the onion with a sprinkle of salt. Sauté it slowly over medium/low heat so that the sugars release slowly. The onions will soften, then turn a light golden color.

• Add the mushrooms and the apples with another light sprinkling of salt, and continue to sauté until they, and the onions, are deeply caramelized . . . be careful to not let them burn!

• Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.

• Add the squeezed spinach and stir it through.

• Add the liqueur and sauté for a minute or so, until the alcohol burns off.

• Stir in all the herbs and several twists of the pepper mill. Set the pan aside to cool.

• Separate 4 of the eggs into whites and yolks. Beat the whites in a mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Set them aside.

• Crack the remaining 4 eggs directly into the bowl with the yolks and beat with a folk until well combined. Add the stock and continue beating with the fork until homogenous.

• Put the farfel into a large bowl and cover it with boiling water. Cover the bowl, wait 2 minutes, and then drain the water from the farfel. It should be soft but not falling apart. After draining, return the farfel to the bowl.

• Add all the contents of the pan with the sautéed vegetables to the farfel bowl and mix gently. Make sure the farfel is cool, then add the eggs that you’ve beaten with the stock and mix well. Add the cheese if using, saving a bit to sprinkle over the top.

• Use a finger to taste for salt and add as more as needed. Mix it well, but use a gentle hand. The amount of salt you need will vary according to the amount of salt in your stock.

• Gently fold in the egg whites, using a light hand so as not to deflate them, but being sure to combine everything well.

• Heat a large cast iron skillet (or other large, oven-safe skillet) on the stove and add a generous glug of olive oil. Use a brush to distribute the oil over the surface of the pan, and don’t neglect the sides.

• If you’re using the fried zucchini slices, spoon half the contents of the bowl to the pan, then half the zucchini slices, then the rest of the farfel mixture, then the remaining zucchini slices.

• Cover the pan and let the frittata cook over medium/low heat, until the bottom is nicely browned and crispy. (Use a thin spatula to lift it a bit to check the bottom.)

• When the bottom is crispy, remove the cover and slide the pan into the oven. (If you’re using cheese, this is when you’ll sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

• Bake the frittata until the middle is set and the top has turned golden, about 30 minutes.

  Serve hot or warm, cut in wedges, with the sauce on the side.

For the Blender Hollandaise Sauce—traditional or dairy-free

Hollandaise can be tricky to master. This blender version is fast and foolproof and requires no special skills.

Ingredients

3 egg yolks

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon dijon mustard

a pinch of white pepper

optional—⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 ounces unsalted butter or Earth Balance vegan butter substitute (the bar, not the tub!)

Method

• Drop your egg yolks into a blender and blend on high for about 30 seconds.

• Add the lemon juice, paprika, salt, mustard, white pepper, and cayenne if using, and blend again for another 30 seconds.

• Melt your butter or Earth Balance in a saucepot or a microwave until hot.

• With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the butter. Once all the butter has been added, continue to blend for another 30 seconds.

• Serve warm. If you need to make the sauce in advance (not too far in advance), pour it into a bowl, cover the bowl and set it into a slightly smaller bowl filled with hot, not boiling, water. The bowl with the hollandaise should rest just above, not in, the hot water. Give it a quick whisk before serving.