Matzah Brei with Fried Onions and Black Pepper

Name: Matzah Brei with Fried Onions and Black Pepper
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle East
Ingredients: ½ cup olive oil; 2 onions, finely chopped; 3½ sheets of unsalted matzah; 1 cup boiling water; 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon kosher salt; 2 eggs; 2 yolks; 3½ tablespoons (50 grams) butter, for frying

Total Time: 40 minutes

Recipe Journey

Sosnowiec, PolandTel Aviv

Matat, Israel

“I would eagerly wait for the first matzah brei the morning after the Seder,” says chef Erez Komarovsky. “It’s the thing I miss the most, aside from the chopped liver, of course.”

This recipe comes from his mother's mother Fela Wisberg, who moved from Sosnowiec, Poland to Tel Aviv in the 1920s. It's the “missing link between matzah brei and bread pudding,” Erez explains. “The key to the dish is to be patient during the frying process and first build a strong crust on the bottom, so it doesn’t fall apart when it’s flipped. I sear it in a pan, then transfer it to the oven, like bread pudding. This way, the matzah brei stays moist and can be cut easily.”

You can also add spinach, chili, or cheeses like Parmesan, or Manchego and sage, he says. For a sweet twist, try adding walnuts, heavy cream, brown sugar or maple syrup — whatever you like.

This recipe first appeared on Asif: Culinary Institute of Israel, our partners from 2021 until its closure in spring 2026. Cafe Asif remains open.

Find more of our favorite matzah recipes here.

Ingredients

4 servings

½ cup olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3½ sheets of unsalted matzah
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 eggs
2 yolks
3½ tablespoons (50 grams) butter, for frying

SidesKosher for PassoverVegetarianEasyPassover Middle EastBrunch

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and fry until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the onions to cool slightly.

Step 3

In a large bowl, break the matzah into quarters. They will naturally crumble further, which is fine — they should be irregular in size. Pour the boiling water over and mix. Add in the fried onions, black pepper, and salt, and mix again. Once the mixture cools slightly, add the eggs and yolks, stirring until the mixture is smooth and uniform.

Step 4

Melt the butter in a deep non-stick, oven-safe frying pan, then add the matzah mixture and cook undisturbed over medium-high heat for at least 3 minutes to allow the bottom to brown and form a strong crust.

Step 5

Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. To check if it’s ready, insert a fork into the center of the pan. When the texture is firm, it’s done. Carefully invert onto a plate and serve.

This recipe previously appeared on Asif.org. It’s reprinted here with permission.

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Ingredients

Preparation

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