Honey Matzo Fritters

by Benedetta Jasmine Guetta, featured in Cooking Alla Guidia

Published by Artisan Books

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Introduction

One of the best culinary inventions from the women of the Roman Ghetto are pizzarelle, small, sweet matzo fritters soaked in honey. These treats can be found in bakeries year-round. I know it might be difficult to believe that anybody would want to eat matzo when it’s not Passover, but give pizzarelle a try, and you’ll instantly be converted into a matzo lover.

As featured in

Cooking Alla Guidia

Image of Benedetta Jasmine Guetta's Honey Matzo Fritters — Photo by Ray Kachatorian

Ingredients

Makes: 30

Metric Cups

6 matzo sheets
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
⅔ cup raisins (soaked in hot water until plumped and drained)
½ cup pinenuts
1 tablespoon grated orange or lemon zest
Up to 3 tablespoons matzo meal
Sunflower or peanut oil for deep-frying
⅓ cup honey

6 matzo sheets
150 grams eggs
75 grams sugar
100 grams raisins (soaked in hot water until plumped and drained)
50 grams pinenuts
1 tablespoon grated orange or lemon zest
Up to 3 tablespoons matzo meal
Sunflower or peanut oil for deep-frying
100 grams honey

Method

Honey Matzo Fritters is a guest recipe by Benedetta Jasmine Guetta so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

Break the matzo sheets in half, place them in a bowl filled with water, and weigh them down with a plate to keep them submerged. Soak for 2 hours, then drain the matzo and squeeze them to remove all the water.
Transfer the matzo to a large bowl and mash with a potato masher to make a thick and somewhat chunky paste or batter. Mix in the eggs, sugar, raisins, pine nuts, and orange or lemon zest. Stir in some or all of the matzo meal: you are looking to obtain a thick batter that will keep its shape when dropped by the spoonful into the hot oil for frying. It should not look too wet and runny.
Pour 1½ to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) of oil into a large saucepan and heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°F (180°C). You can test the oil by dropping a small piece of food, such as a slice of apple, into it: if it sizzles nicely but doesn’t bubble up too wildly, the oil is ready. (An apple is said to help minimize the smell of the frying oil, so I generally go for that, but any bit of food will do.)
Working in batches to avoid crowding, using two spoons, drop small mounds of the matzo mixture into the hot oil and fry the fritters for 5 minutes, or until golden brown, turning them once to ensure even cooking. Drain the cooked fritters on paper towels for a few minutes, then transfer to a plate and drizzle with the honey before serving.
Pizzarelle have to be eaten as soon as they are ready: they are scrumptious hot from the pan, but they get soggy quickly.

Break the matzo sheets in half, place them in a bowl filled with water, and weigh them down with a plate to keep them submerged. Soak for 2 hours, then drain the matzo and squeeze them to remove all the water.
Transfer the matzo to a large bowl and mash with a potato masher to make a thick and somewhat chunky paste or batter. Mix in the eggs, sugar, raisins, pine nuts, and orange or lemon zest. Stir in some or all of the matzo meal: you are looking to obtain a thick batter that will keep its shape when dropped by the spoonful into the hot oil for frying. It should not look too wet and runny.
Pour 1½ to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) of oil into a large saucepan and heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°F (180°C). You can test the oil by dropping a small piece of food, such as a slice of apple, into it: if it sizzles nicely but doesn’t bubble up too wildly, the oil is ready. (An apple is said to help minimize the smell of the frying oil, so I generally go for that, but any bit of food will do.)
Working in batches to avoid crowding, using two spoons, drop small mounds of the matzo mixture into the hot oil and fry the fritters for 5 minutes, or until golden brown, turning them once to ensure even cooking. Drain the cooked fritters on paper towels for a few minutes, then transfer to a plate and drizzle with the honey before serving.
Pizzarelle have to be eaten as soon as they are ready: they are scrumptious hot from the pan, but they get soggy quickly.

Additional Information

Note:
If the honey is very thick, heat it up in a small saucepan with 3 tablespoons water and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to liquefy it before drizzling it over the pizzarelle.

Variation:
For a chocolate version of pizzarelle, omit the matzo meal and add 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder. Keep in mind, though, that while pizzarelle made with cocoa are delicious, the color is unappealing.

Note:
If the honey is very thick, heat it up in a small saucepan with 3 tablespoons water and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to liquefy it before drizzling it over the pizzarelle.