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Friday April 11, 2008

Breakfast on Passover? No more matzah — let them eat pancakes

by louise fiszer

Simultaneously, I dread and anticipate post-seder cooking. Leftovers from the seders like brisket, tsimmes and kugels fill out the week’s lunch and dinner menus, but what about the first meal of the day? I miss the crunch of cornflakes, the crispiness of a freshly toasted English muffin, the comforting creaminess of a bowl of oatmeal and the weekend delight of French toast made from leftover challah. Cream cheese and lox on matzah just doesn’t do it for me.

There’s not too much to work with for flourless, grain-free breakfasts, but eggs (or egg whites) and newly harvested fruits and vegetables like strawberries and asparagus rescue the start of the day and bring a welcome change to the morning meal, yet still remind us that it’s Passover.

Passover Granola Parfait

Makes 2 1/2 pounds

1 box matzah farfel

1⁄3 cup oil

1⁄2 cup honey

1⁄2 stick butter or margarine

1⁄2 cup water

1 tsp. cinnamon

grated coconut (opt.)

4 oz. walnuts

2 oz. slivered almonds

2-3 oz. raisins

6 oz. dried fruit bits

yogurt

berries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt honey and margarine on low heat. Add oil and water and pour mixture over farfel. Add nuts, coconut and cinnamon. Spread mixture on large cookie sheet and bake, stirring every 10 minutes until light brown, about 30 minutes.

Add raisins and dried fruit after baking. Cool and store in airtight container.

In parfait glasses or goblets layer granola, yogurt and fruit, beginning and ending with granola.

(From Betty Denenberg Adler’s recipe for Passover granola)

Cottage Cheese Pancakes with Strawberries

Serves 8

2 cups low-fat cottage cheese

2 large eggs

1⁄4 cup sugar

1 Tbs. lemon juice

pinch of salt

1 cup matzah cake meal

3 Tbs. butter, melted oil for frying

strawberry sauce (recipe follows)

sour cream

Process cottage cheese in food processor until creamy and smooth. Add eggs, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Mix well.

Add cake meal until batter becomes thick. Refrigerate overnight.

Brush hot griddle with melted butter and oil. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls to make pancakes about 3 inches in diameter. When bottom is lightly browned, turn over and brown other side.

Top with strawberry sauce and a dab of sour cream.

Strawberry Sauce

2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

sugar to taste

Puree 1 cup strawberries in food processor. Remove to a bowl. Stir in remaining berries and sugar to taste.

Louise Fiszer is a Palo Alto cooking teacher, author and the co-author of “Jewish Holiday Cooking.” Her columns alternate with those of Rebecca Ets-Hokin. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to j. or to loufiszer@aol.com.

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