JOAN NATHAN COOKBOOK RECIPES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, schmaltz, stock, matzo meal, nutmeg, ginger and parsley. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Gently mix with a whisk or spoon. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours or overnight.
• To shape and cook the matzo balls, fill a wide, deep pan with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. With wet hands, take some of the mix and mold it into the size and shape of a Ping-Pong ball. Gently drop it into the boiling water, repeating until all the mix is used.
• Cover the pan, reduce heat to a lively simmer and cook matzo balls about 30 to 40 minutes for al dente, longer for light. If desired, the cooked matzo balls can be transferred to chicken or vegetable soup and served immediately. Alternatively, they may be placed on a baking sheet and frozen, then transferred to a freezer bag and kept frozen until a few hours before serving; reheat in chicken or vegetable soup or broth.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350, with a heavy 9-by-9-inch baking pan or 10-inch cast-iron skillet inside.
• Peel the potatoes, and place them in a bowl of water. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the salt and pepper until well combined.
• Using a food processor fitted with the grating plate, grate the onion. Drain the potatoes, then grate them. Quickly add the potatoes and onions to the eggs, and add the oil, flour and baking powder. Mix well. (You can also grate by hand; if you do so, grate the potatoes directly into the eggs and oil, and stir them frequently to coat. This helps slow their browning while you keep grating.)
• Remove the pan from the oven, and slick it with oil. Carefully but quickly add the potato mixture, smoothing it out so that it is as even as possible. Bake for 2 hours, or until the kugel is creamy in the center and the whole top is a rich, crunchy brown.