Balls that are never boiled in the same broth in which they’re served. Whoever boiled them together ruined both. Kneidl...

Balls that are never boiled in the same broth in which they’re served. Whoever boiled them together ruined both.

Kneidlach are an Odesa Jewish classic: balls made from matzo meal that float in a clear chicken broth. They’re called knedliks or matzo balls, and in Odesa they stand alongside forshmak and stuffed fish.

The rule everything starts from is this. The broth must be clear, like tea. Matzo meal makes the liquid cloudy, and a lot of it. That’s why the balls are cooked separately in salted water, and transferred to the broth already cooked, just before serving.

Now about the balls themselves, because here only one thing is decided: will they be fluffy or will they be stones.

We recommend, per cup of matzo meal: two eggs, three tablespoons of chicken fat or oil, a quarter cup of cold broth or water, salt, black pepper, and a little finely chopped parsley.

Mix, and immediately put in the refrigerator for at least half an hour. This step is most often skipped, and it’s exactly why stones happen. Matzo meal needs time to absorb liquid. If you shape them right away, they’ll absorb it in the water and contract.

Shape with wet hands; make the balls small, about the size of a walnut. In the water they’ll almost double in size, so don’t make them large.

Bring the water to a boil, salt it well, reduce to a gentle simmer. Lower the balls in, cover, and don’t lift the lid for twenty to twenty-five minutes. The steam under the lid is what makes them fluffy.

A cooked ball cuts easily and is uniform inside. If you see a dense core in the center, it means the mixture didn’t rest in the cold.

Lift with a skimmer, transfer to hot clear broth, add herbs.

Serve immediately.

The clarity of the broth here is not aesthetics, but a method of preparation.

💛Enjoy.