Traditional Hard Matzo Ball Soup

By Pamela Rappaport
@Pamelalala

When I married my Jewish husband 28 years ago, his mother taught me to make "real" matzo ball soup. She said the fluffy kind you get in deli's isn't the real deal. I'm not jumping into the middle of the debate. I just want to share with you the way to make "hard" matzo ball chicken soup. We've got to pass these things down, right?

Rating:

★★★★★ 1 vote

Comments:

3 Comments

Serves:

Prep:

25 Min

Cook:

3 Hr

Method:

Stove Top

Ingredients

1: whole chicken, or sometimes i use thighs
2: stalks celery, broken in the middle
1/2: onion, don't bother to chop
3: large carrots, cut in half
1: clove garlic, leave it whole and drop it in
6 c: water, or enough to cover the chicken well
: salt and pepper
8 oz: thin egg noodles
6: pieces lightly salted matzo, crushed
: water
1: egg
1 Tbsp: oil, or chicken fat if you want to be authentic
: matzo meal

How to Make Traditional Hard Matzo Ball Soup

Step-by-Step

1Place everything for the soup except the noodles into a large stock pot.
2Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until meat is very tender.
3To make the matzo balls - place the crushed matzo in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak 30 minutes.
4After soaking, drain the matzo well. I place them in a large mesh sieve over a bowl to drip and press on them some. set aside.
5Once chicken is done, remove it and de-bone.
6Discard the celery, onion and garlic. I usually slice the carrots into the finished soup.
7Strain the broth if you want a pretty soup. Put it back into the pot and bring to a boil.
8Start a pot of plain water to boil. Add salt.
9Mix the matzo with the egg, oil, and enough matzo meal to make it hold together. It will be a stiff dough.
10Form into balls.
11Drop the matzo balls into the simmering plain water. They will float when done, about 8-10 min. Drain and cover to keep warm.
12Cook the egg noodles in the broth. Add the chicken and carrots back to the broth.
13To serve, place one or two matzo balls in a bowl and spoon the soup over.