Mealtime Magic - Matzah Pizza Lasagna

 

The Jewish calendar is full of holidays with rich food histories, and none is as rich as Passover. With a seder table full of meaningful foods celebrating the Israelites freedom from slavery in ancient Egypt, none is as meaningful as matzah. The crisp, flat, unleavened bread -- the simplest of Passover foods made only of flour and water -- is baked before the dough has time to rise. While the unleavened bread, which Jews are commanded to eat throughout the holiday, isn't among the most delectable of Passover foods, Jennifer Stempel (jenniferstempel.com), PJ Library's resident chef, has cooked up some creative, delicious recipes perfect for families to make together during holidays! The recipes for MATZAH PIZZA LASAGNA and a MATZAH GRAZING BOARD can be found below (reprintable, courtesy PJ Library and Jennifer Stempel), additional recipes -- including homemade matzah and matzah trail mix -- can be found on downloadable PDF cards here.

MATZAH PIZZA LASAGNA This combo may become your kids’ Passover favorite! 4 eggs, lightly beaten 1 (24-ounce) container small-curd cottage cheese 1-2 tablespoons fresh Italian herbs (oregano, Italian parsley, basil), chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced Pinch of salt and pepper 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1 (23-ounce) jar marinara 6 sheets of matzah Your family’s favorite pizza toppings Heat oven to 350°. In a bowl, combine eggs, cottage cheese, fresh herbs, garlic, salt and pepper, and 1 cup of the mozzarella. Set the mixture aside. Grease a 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish and spread a thin layer of marinara over the bottom. Lightly dampen the matzah with water (run quickly under a faucet, so as not to completely soak), then place two sheets on top of the layer of marinara. Spread a third of the remaining marinara over the matzah, and spoon half of the cottage cheese mixture on top. Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella over the cottage cheese mixture and add the first layer of pizza toppings. Continue to layer ingredients, adding another two sheets of matzah, half of the marinara, the remaining cottage cheese mixture, half of the mozzarella, and more toppings. Add the last two sheets of matzah and the remaining marinara, mozzarella, and toppings. Loosely cover the dish with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Then remove the foil and broil the lasagna for 3 to 5 minutes, or until top is browned to taste. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving.

MATZAH GRAZING BOARD 2 to 3 sheets of matzah, broken into large pieces Jam or preserves Nuts Fresh fruits and vegetables Dried fruits Cheeses Arrange the matzah pieces along the center of a large wooden board (a cutting board, marble pastry board, or flat platter will also work well). Place several small bowls on the board and fill them with jam, nuts, fruits and veggies, and cheeses. Arrange additional ingredients to cover the rest of the board. (The more the better!) Always seeking innovative new ways to engage Jewish families, especially at one of the most important holidays of the year, PJ Library brings the age old Passover story and their family-friendly Haggadah to life through a partnership with Novel Effect, the only app which combines children’s books with powerful speech recognition. Families need only to download the Novel Effect app, and as they read along, seder guests will be treated to a synchronized soundscape to IN EVERY GENERATION: A PJ LIBRARY FAMILY HAGGADAH, including authentic music, sound effects, and even pronunciation of Hebrew words that help kids stay engaged and excited throughout the meal. Aside from this innovative new partnership seeking to keep ancient traditions alive and relevant for a new generation, the beautifully-illustrated Haggadah is also available to download for free in five languages including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and French. Also available this Passover holiday for the first time are large print, braille, and audio versions of the Haggadah prepared by the Jewish Braille Institute, to ensure accessibility for anyone who is visually impaired, blind or reading disabled. And, as they do every holiday season, PJ Library has also refreshed their Passover hub, packed full with everything from music, stories, crafts and recipes to games, history, and printables. Families can find a 15 Minute seder - a step-by-step video playlist where kids can learn (or refresh) some serious seder skills; the PJ Library Passover River Ride booklet which is the story of Passover in ten scenes; Passover-Themed Mad Libs; and much more. Families everywhere can visit pjlibrary.org to learn more. About PJ Library A free program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, PJ Library sends engaging storybooks and activities that provide fun and easy ways for families to connect with Jewish life. PJ Library’s high-quality books have become everyday favorites of kids from birth through age 12, whether the stories serve as first introductions to Jewish values and culture or inspire families to create new Jewish traditions at home. More than 680,000 books are delivered to families worldwide each month.