Leave it to Sephardic Jews to make even a pedestrian dish — the ubiquitous matzah brei, a mash-up of fried matzah and egg — into something sublime.
In his landmark book “The Sephardic Kitchen“ published in 1996, Rabbi Robert Sternberg introduced many of us to the flavors and pleasures of Sephardic Jewish cuisine. Masa Tiganitas is a Passover recipe of the Greek Jews — “tiganites” is the Greek word for pancakes and, according to Sephardic cook and author Jennifer Abadi, tiganitas is related to the word for “fried.” Masa Tiganitas is also a dish enjoyed by Italian Jews during Passover.
In Sternberg’s version, matzah squares are soaked in milk, dipped in a combination of egg and yogurt and then fried in oil. As opposed to matzah brei, or bumelos de masa, the matzah in Sternberg’s recipe is not crushed. They are left whole, dunked, fried and then sweetened with a drizzle of honey or arrope (a syrup made of grapes), and topped with a sprinkling of walnuts. Think fried matzah meets baklava. I am in love.
Recipe reprinted with permission from “The Sephardic Kitchen” by Rabbi Robert Sternberg.
The Nosher celebrates the traditions and recipes that have brought Jews together for centuries. Donate today to keep The Nosher's stories and recipes accessible to all.
Masa Tiganitas
This Passover recipe from the Greek Jewish kitchen is reminiscent of matzah brei, but much more indulgent.
- Total Time: 25-30 minutes
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
- 4–6 pieces of matzah
- whole milk, for soaking the matzah
- 4 large eggs, well beaten
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- vegetable oil for sautéing
- arrope or honey
- chopped, lightly toasted walnuts
Instructions
- Place the whole matzah into a wide, deep, mixing bowl or a square baking pan that can accommodate them all without breaking them. Pour the milk over them to cover. Soak the matzah pieces in the milk until they soften enough so that they can be cut but are not so soft that they will disintegrate.
- While the matzah pieces are soaking, beat the eggs in a mixing bowl together with the ¼ cup yogurt.
- When the matzah pieces are soft enough, gently remove them, one at a time, and lay them on paper towels. Cut each matzah into four quarters. Stack the squares on top of one another on paper towels or on a plate.
- Pour enough oil into a 12-inch skillet to come up the sides ¼ inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it is sizzling but not smoking.
- Dip one square of matzah from each stack into the beaten egg. Allow the excess to drip back into the mixing bowl. Place the square in the skillet. A 12-inch skillet will hold 2-3 squares while they are frying. Fry the tiganitas until golden brown on both sides. Keep the tiganitas warm in a 250°F oven until all are ready.
- Place the tiganitas onto serving plates. Serve with arrope or honey poured over the tiganitas, and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Passover
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Sephardi
I was glad to know that the Sfardim eat gebrokst, as do many Ashkenazim.
My bubbe made matzo blintzes easier by dipping matzo into eggs, milk and cinnamon and then frying cottage cheese between two pieces of matzo. Delish!
Who said it’s “much better?”
Have you had my matzah brei?
There are umpteen ways to make it. You’re limited only by your imagination.
Look I generally prefer the spicier cuisine of Sephardi/Mizrahi food, but I feel just blanket saying it’s “much better” is a reverse sort of bias.
This I am trying soon.
This sounds tasty, but I’ll have mine without the nuts!
May I NOT use Yogurt or Cream Cheese or Sour Cream or…..???
This will affect the taste and results of the dish.
So delicious! Made it with egg matzo and it turned out perfect. Added cinnamon and brown sugar to the egg/yogurt mixture. NOM