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04/16/2000 Archived Entry: "Abe Lebewohl's Matzoh Balls"

I have always wondered how restaurants and delicatessens make perfectly round matzoh balls. Mine can be very good (or a disaster, I must add), but however they turn out, they are never perfectly round. My dough is too soft for that. It never dawned on me to make a drier mixture and to use baking powder to make them light and well-risen. I suppose that’s because I only make matzoh balls on Passover and baking powder is a forbidden leavener for Passover. That is, until now.

There is, indeed, now a kosher for Passover baking powder. I doubt that very observant people would use it, but there it is, approved by the Orthodox Union, whose symbol is the U in a circle.

For those of you who do (or would) use baking powder on Passover, let me recommend the following formula. It’s from the 2nd Avenue Deli Cookbook by Sharon Lebewohl, daughter of Abe Lebewohl , the founder of the deli, and co-writer Rena Bulkin. The book is a tribute to Abe, who was tragically murdered four years ago, and it not only has his recipes, but recipes and stories about Abe and the deli by his friends and fans.

One the major regrets of my life (so far) is that I didn’t make the deadline for this book and the contribution I intended to make is still sitting in my computer unfinished. I considered Abe a good friend, although one of his virtues was that everyone who he touched considered him a good friend. Sharon tells one of my favorite stories about him: When she and her sister and mother and uncle were sitting shiva for Abe, a friend came up to her and said (well, I paraphrase): “I feel so terrible that Abe died without having a feast. I’m sure if he’d known he was going to die he would have eaten a really special meal. I had lunch with him the day before he died and all he ate was some sushi.” What Sharon didn’t have the heart to tell this friend was that about 10 other people came to her and told her they’d also had lunch with Abe the day before he died.


Abe Lebewohl’s Matzoh Balls

1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1/3 cup schmaltz (rendered chicken fat)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/3 cups matzoh meal

Fill a large, wide stockpot three quarters full of water, add 1 tabelspoon of the the salt and bring to a boil.

While the water is boiling, crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat thoroughly. Beat in the schmaltz 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and baking powder. Slowly stir in matzoh meal, mixing vigorously until completely blended.

Wet hands and, holding the mixture in your palms, shape perfect balls about 1 1/4 inches in diameter (they will double in size when cooked).

Gently place matzoh balls in the boiling water, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25 minutes.

Remove with a slotted spoon. Serve immediately in hot chicken soup.