knaidlach for dummies

lech lecha08

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 6:57 am

I'm looking for some help here. My knaidlach never come out right. The outside is fluffy but the inside is chewy like it's still raw.
It doesn't seem to matter how long they boil and they do float to the top. Any tips?

TzenaRena

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 7:23 am

more eggs is more fluffy. how many do you put in?
*1 the recipes specify that the water should be boiling before you put them in.
*2 boil it for the recommended amount of time!
*3 make sure there is alot of water in the pot, without enough water, they will expand less, be less cooked inside.

I've had kneidlach that turned out chewy, and some that that turned out right. when I follow directions to the T, it's usually good! Better luck next time! (ETA that this past FridayI made some "ad hoc" kneidlach without a recipe, and only one egg, and put them into the soup, and brought it to a boil only breifly, before leaving it to simmer on the blech, and they were "takeh" raw and chewy inside. Wink

)

shanie5

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 9:10 am

do u want an exact recipe?

4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water
1 tsp salt
pepper
1 cup matzoh meal
1/4 tsp baking powder

Mix all together. put in fridge for at least 1/2 hour (can be left overnight if needed).
Boil water (or soup), put knaidlach in, let boil for at least 20 minutes.

greenfire

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 9:37 am

buy the pre-made mixes ... follow instructions ...

pinktichel

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 10:04 am

greenfire wrote:

buy the pre-made mixes ... follow instructions ...

I used to do that until I moved to a place where I can't get them. Now, I make the recipe from the Spice and Spirit, Purple Cookbook (pg 140) and follow directions exactly. They come out perfect every time and freeze beautifully. I make them on Thursday, reboil them in the soup on Friday and they are huge, fluffy, yummy matzah balls (my guests call them matzah balls on steroids embarrassed

)

Grandmama

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 10:13 am

I use seltzer instead of water, and they are huge and fluffy every time.

freidasima

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 10:37 am

Pink can you post the recipie here please for those of us without the cookbook?

Grandmama

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 10:48 am

shanie5 wrote:

I never use baking powder, just seltzer instead of the water. I put in the freezer for 10 minutes, and then throw into boiling soup.

shanie5

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 3:11 pm

I dont keep seltzer around much, so that doesnt work for me-too much waste. baking powder works the same.

Motheroftwins

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 3:16 pm

I always find that 1 cup of matzah meal is too much.

I use:

1 cup matzah meal
3 eggs
some salt to taste
a sprinkle of baking powder

no oil or water or anything else

pinktichel

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 3:37 pm

freidasima wrote:

Pink can you post the recipie here please for those of us without the cookbook?

Pleasure. Sorry, I tend to forget that not everyone has this cookbook.
Btw, I quadruple this recipe every week and it still comes out perfect!

4 eggs, slightly beaten
4 T. oil
4 T. ice cold water (I just let the tap run until it's really cold... not long in the winter!)
1 c. matzah meal
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper (I find it to be too much, I use a dash of pepper)

In a lg bowl mix eggs, oil and water together. Add matzah meal, salt and pepper and mix well.
Refrigerate for 1 hr.

Bring a lg pot of water, with some salt, to a boil. Lower the flame.

Wet palms of hand with cold water and form mixture into balls. Drop into simmering water. Cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes. Turn off the flame and without lifting the cover, allow the pot to cool for 10 minutes.( KEEP COVER ON THE WHOLE TIME. )

Remove matzah balls with a slotted spoon and allow to cool.

Yields 1 dozen large, fluffy matzah balls.

SavtaHelen

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 3:46 pm

Simplest Kneidlach recipe ever-Never Fails

1/3 cup margaine, melted in microwave
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 cup matzo meal
1 T chicken soup powder
1 t salt

mix all together and refrigerate while boiling the water

Form balls and cook for about 15 minutes.

mi

shanie5

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 11:44 pm

pinktichel wrote:

freidasima wrote:

Pink can you post the recipie here please for those of us without the cookbook?

This is almost the same as I posted (4T=1/4 cup). the only difference is 'cold' water, and I add baking powder. My recipe came from the back of a box of matzoh meal.

EvenI

Mon, Jan 11 2010, 6:27 am

My DH and FIL only like them hard. I am not allowed to make them soft and fluffy. Grrrr. I use the same recipe as my mother, except that I don't refrigerate the mixture for an hour before using. Hers come out fluffy and mine don't. So, maybe the regriferation contributes to the fluffiness. My recipe is different from the others:

1 cup matzo meal
1 egg
1 T oil
1 cup boiling water
random amounts of salt, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg (except that I never have any nutmeg)

Mamish Mama

Mon, Jan 11 2010, 10:34 am

This will be the most AMAZING knaidlach you will ever try.

Ingredients

Saffron matzo balls:

8 large eggs
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chicken fat, melted (schmaltz), plus 2 tablespoons, for optional garnish
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup freshly chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups matzo meal
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

Soup:

1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) chicken
4 quarts chicken stock

Sofrito:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup quartered cherry or grape tomatoes
1/2 cup diced (1/4-inch) red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced (1/4-inch) green bell pepper
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
4 garlic cloves, minced
Small pinch saffron
1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce, optional

Directions

To make the matzo balls, bring a large pot of salted water or chicken or beef broth to a boil over high heat. Whisk the eggs, oils, chicken fat, water, parsley, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, add the matzo meal and sift in the baking powder. Mix together, then fold into the eggs. Cover with plastic wrap, pressed tightly against the batter and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Moisten your hands lightly with water and form the matzo mixture into 24 walnut-sized balls. Carefully drop the matzo balls into the water or broth. Reduce the heat to medium and partially cover. Simmer gently until the matzo balls are cooked through, about 40 minutes. Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the matzo balls to a large bowl of cold water.

Meanwhile, make the soup. Bring the chicken pieces and stock to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the soup. Remove and discard the skin, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, and reserve the meat until service. Return the remaining bones back to the broth and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more to further develop the soup's flavor.

While the soup is simmering, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, tomatoes, red and green peppers, cilantro, garlic and saffron. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables in the sofrito are tender, but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the hot sauce, if using. Set the sofrito aside.

When ready to serve, strain the soup and discard the bones. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the sofrito and chicken pieces. Add the matzo balls and simmer until the matzo balls are heated through, about 5 minutes. (The soup and matzo balls can be prepared up to 2 days ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.)

Ladle the soup, along with sofrito, chicken and matzo balls into bowls and serve hot.

flowerpower

Mon, Jan 11 2010, 10:50 am

Buy a knaidel mix. We like those the best. You follo the instructions, refridge for like half hour and cook like 20 minutes. Never failed.

ra_mom

Mon, Jan 11 2010, 11:14 am

flowerpower wrote:

Buy a knaidel mix. We like those the best. You follo the instructions, refridge for like half hour and cook like 20 minutes. Never failed.

While I agree that the mixes are easy, they are full of MSG.
And once you try making a mix on your own, you'll realize just how easy it is to make knaidelach yourself.

flowerpower

Mon, Jan 11 2010, 11:45 am

I buy the shibolim ones-they're the best of the bunch.

est

Wed, Mar 16 2011, 4:51 am

shanie5 - I made your recipe and it was AMAZING! had just the right texture and taste - thanks so much!!!

wanna make it again now and am not sure how much baking powder to use since I saw you posted this recipe twice, once with 1/2 tsp and once with 1/4, and I really can't remember which one I followed last time. please can you clarify which amount you find to be best? thank you.

grace413

Wed, Mar 16 2011, 5:02 am

Has anybody ever tried making knaidlach with whole wheat matza meal?