With Passover beginning on Friday night and running until April 30, here are some healthy, simple recipes to help you celebrate the holiday and not over-indulge.
Individual Matzo Pizza
Ingredients:
- 1 matzo sheet
- 3 Tbsp. tomato sauce
- ¼ cup grated mozzarella cheese
- Optional Toppings: sliced mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray.
- Place matzo on baking sheet and spread tomato sauce evenly on matzo.
- Sprinkle with cheese and any toppings of your choice.
- Bake for 10 minutes until cheese melts.
Matzo Nachos
Ingredients:
- 3 matzo sheets, broken into pieces
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Optional Toppings:
- Tomatoes
- Cilantro
- Salsa
- Avocado
- Sour cream
- Green onions
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line baking sheet with foil, spray with vegetable oil and place matzo pieces over top. Bake for 10 minutes. Add cheese and bake another 5 minutes.
- Add nacho toppings of your choice and serve.
Roasted Bell Pepper Lasagna
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup pesto
- 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
- 3 Tbsp. low fat milk
- 2 ½ cup prepared tomato sauce
- 3 Tbsp. low fat milk
- 4 – 5 sheets regular matzo
- 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, roasted and sliced thinly
- 1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F. In a food processor, puree cheeses, pesto and milk until smooth.
- Mix tomato sauce and milk. Pour ¼ cup tomato sauce mixture on bottom of 9” square baking dish pan.
- Fill a large pan with warm water. Place a matzo sheet into water and turn a few times just until the matzo begins to soften. Don’t let get soggy. Remove and shake off excess water. Place over tomato sauce in pan.
- Spread 1/3 cheese mixture over top. Place 1/3 of roasted peppers over top. Repeat with another matzo sheet. Repeat with ¼ sauce, 1/3 cheese and roasted pepper mixture. Add another ¼ cup sauce, remaining matzo, cheese and peppers. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese and remaining tomato sauce. Cover and bake for 30 minutes or until hot.
Huevos Rancheros Matzo
Ingredients:
- 1 matzo
- 3 Tbsp. salsa
- ¼ cup black beans
- 1 Tbsp. sliced jalapenos
- 1/3 cup grated Monterey or cheddar cheese
- 1 egg
- Garnishes: Cilantro, salsa, green onions
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425F. Place matzo on baking sheet. Spread salsa, black beans, jalapenos and cheese over top. Bake for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, fry egg in greased skillet just until loosely cooked, about 3 minutes on medium heat. Slip egg over top and garnish with cilantro, salsa and green onions.
Passover Granola
Ingredients:
- 3 cups matzah farfel
- 1 ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup unsweeted shredded coconut
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 6 tablespoons oil
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 1/2 cups chopped dried fruit (can be a single kind or a mix)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
- Combine the farfel, almonds, coconut, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl, mixing well. Add oil, honey and dried fruit. Mix well.
- Spread the mixture onto the sheet and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even browning.
"Hello Dolly" Matzo Bars
Ingredients:
- 2 cups matzo meal
- 3 Tbsp. sugar
- 3 Tbsp. oil
- 2 Tbsp. water
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
- ½ cup flaked coconut (sweetened)
- 1 (14oz) can low fat sweetened condensed milk
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Mix matzo meal, sugar, oil and water until crumbs hold together. Add more water if needed. Pat into 9” x 13” baking dish sprayed with vegetable oil.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top.
- Next, sprinkle the cranberries, and then the pecans. Finally, sprinkle the coconut evenly over the top.
- Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the chips.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
- Cut into 24 squares and serve.
Toffee Matzo Bark
Ingredients:
- 2 sheets of matzo
- 1/4 cup margarine
- ¼ cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup diced dried apricots
- 1/3 cup toasted pistachios
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Line the bottom of the sheet with matzo, breaking extra pieces as necessary to fill in any spaces.
- In a saucepan, add the margarine and brown sugar together, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture is beginning to boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add the salt and vanilla, and pour over matzo, spreading with a heatproof spatula.
- Put the pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Put back in oven for 2 minutes. Spread chocolate with knife.
- Add apricots and pistachios and let harden. Break into pieces and serve.