Passover is the major Jewish Spring festival that commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery. It’s a holiday that has come to mean freedom for enslaved peoples throughout the world. When I was a boy, my father would invite Jewish immigrants newly arrived to the United States to our home for Seder to make their new country more welcoming. Morris Wolf was one of our guests. He was a carpenter who survived the Nazi death camps in Poland by making toys for the children of the Camp Commander. Jimmy Belhausen was another survivor who joined us with his family. He would juggle oranges and apples for us before dinner as he did to entertain his Nazi captors. Jimmy was a weightlifter from Morocco who was the first physical trainer I had ever met.

These exotic guests helped make our Seder more memorable than it might have been. But the food my family made on Passover reminded all of us of what it must have been like to actually flee from Egypt to the promised land. Matzo, the unleavened bread which looks like large square crackers, reminds Jews and all peoples of the food they were forced to bake on their backs to sustain themselves as they walked to freedom.

Passover also reminds me of Reverend Martin Luther King leading over 8000 marchers, black and white, from Selma to Montgomery, AL on March 25, 1965 in support of civil rights and the Voting Rights Act for all Americans. The Oscar-nominated film Selma documents this march today in 2015, and reminds us all that freedom’s a right for everyone. The food we eat on Passover reminds me of its current symbolic meaning and how freedom and civil rights in today’s political climate are important and essential for Israelis, Palestinians, Muslims, Christians and Jews alike.

Knaidlach, the Yiddish word for matzo balls made from matzo meal, reminds Jews and Gentiles of this journey across the dessert. As a child, they gave me a stomach ache. Still they are eaten at the beginning of the Seder with matzo meal, eggs, baking powder and schmaltz, which is chicken fat. The common argument that often ensued at our dinner table was whether enough fat was added or too much. The trick is always to try and find a way to make the golf ball size matzo balls as moist and delicious as possible— rather than hard or mushy. No one ever suggested that the chicken fat may have contributed to indigestion and plaque build up in our blood vessels. I have included one of the better recipes I have discovered by Torey Avey and friends. I added grapeseed oil instead of schmaltz which seems to improve the quality of the dish. Relatives long forgotten might argue otherwise.

Another favorite during the holiday is kreplach, another Yiddish word for dumplings filled with chopped liver or shredded chicken. They are not unlike ravioli but I must admit that I’ve used won ton wrappers which actually are quite delicious. Capture this flavor by thinking won ton soup. Be sure not to boil too many in one pot nor with too little liquid or disaster will ensue and the kreplach will break up and dissolve. The ideal is to use a large stock pot nine to 10 inches in diameter filled half way up the sides with homemade chicken stock instead of water. Your matzo balls and kreplach will be much tastier.

The Seder dessert pavlova made not indulging our sugar craving less painful than it might otherwise have been. This was a dessert worth waiting for which was crunchy on the outside with a soft, sweet marshmallow interior, topped with whipped cream, fruit, honey and nuts. Below are the recipes for all three dishes— knaidlach ( matzo balls), kreplach (dumplings) and pavlova. Remember that you need not attend a Seder to enjoy these Passover dishes. They are readily appreciated by virtually everyone. However, I would recommend replacing the chicken fat with grapeseed oil when it comes to the matzo balls.

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Matzo Ball Recipe (“Floaters”)
By the mothers, aunts and friends of Torey Avey
Makes 16 to 20

1 cup matzo meal
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp white pepper (optional)
3 large eggs
3 tbsp melted schmaltz (or substitute grapeseed oil)
1 tbsp minced fresh dill or smoked paprika (optional)
3 to 4 quarts soup broth or salted water

1. In a small mixing bowl, use a fork to mix together the matzo meal, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper.
2. In another bowl, use a fork to mix together the eggs and oil. Pour egg mixture into the dry ingredients and add the minced dill. Mix all ingredients together with a fork till just combined. Do not over mix.
3. Put the bowl of matzo ball mixture into the refrigerator and let it rest for 20 to 25 minutes.
4. There are two ways to cook your matzo balls—in boiling water or in the soup broth. Cook them in boiling water if you are feeding a large crowd; the matzo balls will soak up some of the broth, which will make for less servings of soup. If you cook them straight in the broth, they soak up the chicken flavor. This will reduce the broth, but make your matzo balls taste amazing.
5. Bring 3 to 4 quarts of soup broth or salted water to a boil over medium heat. While your broth or water is warming, form the chilled matzo ball mixture into 1 inch balls without overworking the mixture. When your broth or water boils, lower it to an even bubbling simmer and drop the matzo balls gently into the liquid.
6. Cover the pot with a lid and let the balls cook for 30 to 35 minutes till fluffy and soft. By now the balls should be floating on the surface of the water like “billowy clouds of deliciousness.” Serve two or three matzo balls per bowl with hot chicken soup ladled over them. If you don’t plan on serving the whole pot of soup at one sitting, make sure you remove the matzo balls from the broth and let them come to room temperature before storing them in a separate container. If left to sit in the broth, they’ll become mushy.

Kreplach (Dumpling)
Thanks to Tzirel Chana of kosherhomecooking.com
Serves 6 to 8

Chicken Filling
1 cup boiled chicken (from the soup), shredded
1 chopped onion, sautéed
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste.
Mix together
1. Defrost wonton wrappers following package directions. Use 4 sheets for 6 to 8 Seder guests.
2. Cut each sheet into four triangles; round the edges.
3. Place one teaspoon of filling in the center of each triangle.
4. Wet your fingers slightly, fold the dough over and pinch the edges till firmly closed.
5. Gently place two kreplach per person in a large pot of chicken broth for 20 minutes.
6. Serve your guests a bowl of hot soup—with two kreplach and enough chicken broth to cover them

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Pavlova Dessert
Serves 4 to 6

4 large egg whites
1 cup superfine sugar (Options include ¼ to ½ cup agave or honey or ½ tsp pure vanilla extract)
1 tsp white vinegar
½ tbsp cornstarch

Topping
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 ½ tbsp granulated white sugar (or to taste)
½ tspn pure vanilla extract
Fresh fruit—e.g. strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, passion fruit, peaches or pineapple

1. Preheat oven to 250 F (130 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 7-inch circle on the paper. Turn the parchment paper over so the circle is on the reverse side.
2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they hold soft peaks.
3. Since sugar was not eaten on Passover in my father’s home, my mother would use agave or honey or even artificial sweeteners instead. If you prefer sugar, start adding the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat, on high speed, until the meringue holds very stiff and shiny peaks. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. If it feels gritty, the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers.
4.Beat in the vanilla extract. Sprinkle the vinegar and cornstarch over the top of the meringue and with a rubber spatula, gently fold in.
5. Spread the meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges and making sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher than the center. (You want a slight well in the center of the meringue to place the whipped cream and fruit.)
6. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the outside is dry. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar and let the meringue cool completely in the oven. (The outside of the meringue will feel firm to the touch if gently pressed, but as it cools you will get a little cracking and you will see that the inside is soft .)
7. The cooled meringue can be made and stored in a cool dry place in an airtight container for a few days.
8. Just before serving gently place the meringue onto a serving plate. Whip the cream in your electric mixer with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Sweeten with the sugar, agave or honey and vanilla and then mound the softly whipped cream into the center of the meringue.
9. Arrange 2 to 3 cups of fruit randomly on top of the cream or heat ½ of the fruit with 2 to 3 tbsp sweetener of your choice. Cool and mix with the rest of the fruit and pour on top of the whipped cream. Do this shortly before serving because the pavlova will start to soften and break down from the moisture of the cream and fruit.

Serve and enjoy. Passover treats may become year-round specialties of your home too.

Please send comments, questions or observations of interest to Chef Alan at [email protected]. For details about past columns, catering or Chef Zox’s blog, please visit www.zoxkitchen.com.