Grandma Ruth’s Matzo Balls
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat, or vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/2 cup matzo meal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chicken stock or water
In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat eggs with melted chicken fat or vegetable oil. The schmaltz, or chicken fat, rendered from the top of the chicken soup pot, carries the flavors of the soup to make a deliciously flavored matzo ball. So save the chicken fat that you skim from the soup pot to make your matzo balls. I keep any extra in the freezer tightly sealed in a glass jar.
Add the matzo meal and salt. Stir in the chicken stock or water until a paste is formed. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to stiffen the dough.
Bring a soup pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Wet the palms of your hands and scoop a tablespoon of dough into one palm, lightly rolling it into a ball shape and gently drop into boiling water. Do not compress the dough, just gently roll it into a ball. This will produce a lightly textured matzo ball. Repeat until all the dough is used up, to make about 8 or 9 balls that will double in size as they cook. Cover the pot, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes. The matzo balls will rise to the surface.
Bring your chicken soup to a simmer, transfer the matzo balls to the soup and turn off the heat. Let sit for a few minutes. Serve while piping hot!
