Growing up in Israel in the 1970s, I was exposed to only one kind of lasagna: my mother’s. It was deliciously made with a simple tomato sauce, cottage cheese (there was no ricotta) and grated “yellow” cheese, all nestled between softened layers of . . . matzo.
Imagine my surprise the first time I encountered the authentic Italian pasta dish. (You make lasagna with that?) Matzo lasagna remains one of my family’s favorites.
For centuries, all over the Diaspora, Jews have come up with creative ways for incorporating matzo during the Passover holiday. Jews in the Ottoman Empire used it to make the small, savory pastry called burek.
Mina de carne and mina de espinaka are pies of matzo shells stuffed with either meat or spinach that were prepared by Sephardi Jews to replace the many pastries they served throughout the year. There are numerous matzo kugels, sweet and savory, from the Ashkenazi cuisine. You can even find matzo baklava, from the cuisine of Mizrahi Jews, which replaces the phyllo dough with the so-called bread of affliction.
Speaking of affliction, the accompanying recipe (plus the mina recipe) will help dispatch leftovers from the season’s ubiquitous five-pack of matzo.
(This article appeared originally in The Washington Post Food Section.)
Matzo lasagna
Course: main, SidesCuisine: Israeli, Jewish, ItalianDifficulty: Easy8
servings20
minutes45
minutes1
hour5
minutesThis is a simple, kosher-for-Passover version of the classic Italian recipe, with layers of tomato sauce, ricotta and grated cheese nestled between layers of matzo.
Feel free to add fresh basil to the layers, if desired.
INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
21 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
1 lb. regular or low-fat ricotta cheese, preferably hand dipped
8 plain matzos (7-by-7-inch squares)
10 oz. (2½ packed cups) shredded cheese, such as a Mexican 4-cheese blend
2 tablespoons olive oil
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the inside of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking oil spay.
- Stir the salt (to taste) and oregano into the crushed tomatoes. Spread a couple of spoonfuls of the tomatoes over the bottom of the baking dish.
- Put ricotta in a medium bowl and mix with a fork to a smooth paste.
- Put hot (not boiling) water in a container large enough to hold the matzo unbroken. Add 2 matzos and soak briefly, so the matzos become damp yet are still firm enough to hold their shape, shaking off any excess water. Transfer to the baking dish and arrange as one layer, breaking off pieces of the matzo to fit as needed.
- Spoon one-third of the ricotta on top of the matzo layer, spreading it to the edges. Spread one-quarter of the tomato mixture to cover the ricotta. Scatter one-quarter of the shredded cheese over the tomato layer. Repeat with the matzos, ricotta and shredded cheese to build three layers, ending with the shredded cheese. Top with one more layer of matzo, spread tomato mixture, drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese evenly all over the top.
- Bake for 45 minutes; the cheese on top will be golden brown. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.