For many people observing Passover, breakfast is the hardest meal of the day. Oatmeal is out. Cereal seriously not okay. Toast verboten. Granola a no-go.
So, what is left to eat in the morning? On weekdays, my husband downs some yogurt and an apple, which is a very healthy, but maybe not the most satisfying, breakfast.
The truth is, for those observing Passover, eggs are a godsend. When pasta is off the table, a frittata is a great quick dinner. When you can’t have a sandwich for lunch, an omelet will give you the protein you need to get through the day.
And then, of course, there is matzo brei, one of the most iconic and beloved American Jewish foods. Matzo brei is essentially small pieces of matzo that have been softened in water and then mixed with beaten eggs and fried. Matzo brei can lean savory or sweet, depending on what you top it with. Some people like sour cream or hot sauce. Others like jam, syrup or just powdered sugar. But for many, matzo brei is the embodiment of comfort food. Ruth Reichl, the former editor of Gourmet, once called it “one of life’s perfect foods.”
As I get creative with kosher-for-Passover meal ideas, I have been thinking about matzo brei and how to put my own spin on it. Personally, I like savory matzo brei and don’t get the sweet kind at all. (Jam on eggs? Seriously?) As I started thinking about all the foods that I like to combine with eggs — things like cheese, tomato and avocado — I wondered just how good a Mexican-inspired version of matzo brei would be. And then it hit me: chilaquiles. Matzo brei is just like chilaquiles.
Chilaquiles is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of pieces of tortilla that are fried, covered with a green or red mole, and mixed with eggs. Chilaquiles can be topped with shredded chicken, avocado, cheese, crema or beans.
With this revelation about matzo brei and chilaquiles under my belt, I got to work and came up with my version of matza-quiles, or Mexican matzo brei. I was not even a little surprised by how good it turned out. How can one go wrong with eggs, cheese, onions and a spicy sauce? This matza-quiles is velvety and moist and incredibly flavorful. It makes a perfect, ready-in-a-hurry, one-dish meal for any time of day.
I will give you a recipe, but don’t feel bound by it. This is the kind of dish that bends to what is in your fridge at a given moment. Don’t have tomatillo salsa? Use tomato. Don’t like avocado? Bond with my husband about how misunderstood you are and then leave it off. Chilaquiles and matzo brei are both dishes that lend themselves to infinite variations around the theme of “waste nothing.”
- 2 TB vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 matzo boards broken into 1 inch pieces
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup grated Cabot Extra-Sharp Cheddar
- ½ cup tomatillo salsa
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco
- 2 TB chopped cilantro
- Heat the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and sauté over medium-low heat until lightly browned, about ten minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the broken pieces of matzo in a colander and bring a kettle of water to a boil.
- Slowly pour the boiling water over the matzo until all the pieces are soaked.
- Drain in the colander, shaking gently.
- Beat together the eggs and cheese in a large bowl.
- Add the damp matzo to the egg mixture in the bowl.
- Pour the egg and matzo mixture into the skillet with the onion.
- Cook the matzo brei over medium-low heat, stirring as needed, just until the eggs are set.
- Arrange the matzo brei on a large plate and pour the tomatillo salsa over it.
- Garnish with avocado slices, crumbled queso fresco and chopped cilantro.
- Serve hot and pass extra salsa on the side.
