Bread of affliction

Every year, around Purim, my Mother in Law reminds me to start collecting matzo for her. She's talking about these coupons most supermarkets put in their circulars during the weeks leading to Pesach, where you can get 5 Lbs of matzo for free (with this coupon and an additional $50 purchase). 

I don't mind. We hate the matzo that comes in these packages and I buy so much food for Pesach that one year I managed to present her with 5 sets of 5 Lbs matzo each.

What puzzles me, though, is why anyone would need so much matzo. Granted, Pesach is my favorite holiday and I sort of like the taste of the round Shemurah matzo, but machine made ones? and so much of them? Turns out, she eats them year round. 

Say what??? Matzo on Pesach is not bad enough for you? Well, it seems that it isn't. My friend Peggy from Nutley, who's not even Jewish, refused to let me use her coupon because she gets that 5 Lbs for her family because, get this, "We like it". As the old joke goes, "Me, I have to, but you?"

In my family we really don't like matzo. We eat our share at the Seder and stay away from it the rest of the week if possible. Other than Shemura matzo for the Seder, I only buy 2 boxes: one of honey matzo (my oldest eats this with cream cheese) and one of some savory Israeli concoction. Neither is a proper matzo, I know. But we just can't stand the stuff. 

Even so, there is surprisingly too much matzo in each box and by this time I start getting desperate. Incidentally, this is also the time when we get a little sick of the rich food. Of the meat and chicken and fish. We want some good old fashioned dairy. The pizza craving is at its highest towards the second chag.

Well, that's exactly why I bought the shredded cheese and the cottage cheese and the crushed tomatoes at the beginning of the week.

Pesach lasagna

Thing 1: originally, this recipe came from my friend Debbie, but we found it too tame and we played around with it a bit, so this is our version of it. But thanks, Debbie, for the idea.

Thing 2: I regret to inform you that this is one of those "a bit of this and a bit of that" recipes that everyone hates. It's sort of based on what you have on hand. Play with it. It's quite flexible and it will be yummy anyway because everyone will be amazed that you managed to cook something dairy, on Pesach, that is so good. Be brave.

OK, so basically, you take a bunch of savory flavored matzo (garlic or onion or herbs). If you don't have them, fear not. Use regular matzo and increase the amount of spices in the sauce.

Now, make tomato sauce, which is crushed tomatoes (or puree, or paste mixed with some water, whatever) mixed with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano. And any other spice and herb you like to add to your every day lasagna. Make a LOT of sauce. Way more than you think you need. Matzo drinks this up when you cook it.

Now, dip the matzo in the sauce. Dip it really well. You want it wet but still manageable enough to transfer to the baking dish.

Make the filling:

Finely chop some broccoli. Thinly slice a little carrot. Slightly cook both in boiling water until tender firm. Drain.

Saute lots of onion and garlic in olive oil until very soft and a little brownish. Add broccoli and carrot. Cook another 2 minutes. (you can use other veggies but the onion and garlic are key).

Mix with 3 or 4 cups of cottage cheese, 3 eggs, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, oregano and whatever other spices/herbs you like in your lasagna. Be generous.

 

Layer the matzo with the sauce, shredded cheese and the filling. Use lots of sauce and lots of filling and as much cheese as you like (we like plenty). Just like a regular lasagna but very wet.

Bake, covered, at 350F for an hour. Remove cover and continue baking another 15 minutes. Serve with a deep spoon - it will be runny but oh, so good.

Now, the real question is "How do you get rid of matzo crumbs?"