← Nouns Cooking · Soup Pot

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 4 tbsp schmaltz (chicken fat) or vegetable oil
• 120 g Matzo meal
• 4 tbsp sparkling water or soda water
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2.5 l good chicken stock
• 500 g skinless chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless)
• 3 Carrot, sliced on the diagonal
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 1 Onion, halved
• 1 Parsnip, sliced
• 2 tbsp Dill, chopped
• Black pepper

Method

1. Beat the eggs with the fat, then stir in the matzo meal, sparkling water and salt until just combined. Cover and chill for 30 min so the meal can swell.
2. Meanwhile put the stock, chicken, carrots, celery, onion and parsnip in a pot. Simmer for 25 min, until the chicken is cooked through (75°C/165°F). Lift out the chicken and onion; shred the chicken and discard the onion and any bones.
3. Bring a large, wide pot of salted water to a boil. With wet hands, roll the matzo mixture into balls about 3 cm across. Handle them lightly; packing them tight makes them dense.
4. Drop the balls into the water, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 30–40 min without lifting the lid. They will puff up to about double their size.
5. Lift the matzo balls into the soup with a slotted spoon, add the shredded chicken and heat through. Season with pepper and scatter with dill.

Tips

• Cooking the balls in water rather than in the soup keeps the broth clear.
• Matzo meal is made from wheat, so this is not gluten-free; gluten-free matzo meal is available. Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate within 2 hours and reheat until piping hot.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Once Upon a Chef Bon Appétit Taste of Home