The Passover Roll, as seen above accompanying matzo ball soup, is a bit of a culinary enigma. Prior to having seders with my wife’s family, I had never encountered them before.
My family (admittedly reform Jews) on both sides traditionally would have matzohs during seder, and the kugels, and of course the matzo ball soup. But the idea of having ersatz bread or rolls during Passover was a bit alien to me, and questionably pesadich.
I mean, the whole point is that you are not supposed to eat bread during Passover, right? You’re supposed to want for it.
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Indeed, Pesadich rolls are made with matzo meal, but they have the consistency, taste and physical properties of a cream puff — making them ideally suited for stuffing with tuna fish, cold cuts, egg salad, PB&J, cream cheese and smoked salmon, or even whipped cream or custard.
My favorite way to eat them, however, is dunked in the savory broth and broken up into matzo ball soup, where it sucks up the liquid like a sponge.
Passover Rolls (or Passover Cream Puff shells)
⅔ Cup Water
⅓ Cup Peanut Oil (Butter for cream puffs)
1 Cup Matzo Meal (use Matzo Cake Meal for cream puffs. If you cannot find Matzo Meal, buy a few boxes of whatever flavor of Matzos you like and blitz them in the food processor.)
1 tsp. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 Eggs
Healthier alternative version (ingredient weight instead of volume):
1 1/3 cup Water (152 grams)
2/3 cup Peanut Oil (76 grams)
2 cups Whole Wheat Matzo Meal (9 oz)
1.5 tsp Honey (7 grams)
1/2 tsp Salt (3 grams)
13 oz Egg Beaters
Follow instructions below. Use a scoop to make even rolls, each about 3.8 oz. Add a few drops of water to a tsp of egg beaters and use your fingertips to smooth the surface and brush with a bit of egg. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds if desired. Cut a shallow X into the top before baking for 60 minutes.
As soon as they are done, poke a hole with a sharp knife in each and put back in oven with the door open so they cool slowly and don’t deflate.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Boil the water and oil together, add the dry ingredients, stir with a wooden spoon to mix well. Allow to cool slightly and, using a handheld beater, beat in the eggs, one at a time. Allow to rest for a few minutes.
Line a sheet pan with parchment or Silpat. Portion dough into balls using a disher, drop into wet hands (with oil or water) and gently roll into a ball.
For (about 20) bite sized cream puffs, use a very small disher and bake for 25-30 minutes; for (10-12) dinner rolls or larger cream puffs, use a medium sized disher and bake for about 40 minutes; for (5-6) larger rolls for sandwiches, use a large disher and bake for 50-60 minutes. Bake until golden.
For cream puffs, allow to cool completely, then cut open and gently hollow out the soft interior using a spoon. Fill with whipped or pastry cream.
Roast Beef Sandwiches with Whole Wheat Matzo Rolls.
