Matzo ball soup was and is a very popular dish in America. The history of matzo ball soup goes back through the European enclaves that Jews populated all the way to the Middle East. For where there is Passover, there is matzo, a dry, cracker-like, bread replacement.  Then matzo was grinded up, eggs were added and there appeared  kneidlach (dumplings). In fact, the things we know today as matzo balls are those  knaydlach.

Matzo balls combine matzah meal with eggs, fat and seasonings, usually salt and pepper. Seltzer water (for lightness) and sautéed onions are also common. The traditional fat is schmaltz, which imparts a distinctive flavor, but many contemporary cooks use vegetable oils due to health concerns. The balls are shaped by hand and dropped into a pot of salted, boiling water or chicken soup.  In this case, before cooking matzo ball soup keep your hands wet when handling the sticky dough. 

Matzah balls are roughly spherical and can range anywhere from a few centimeters in diameter to the size of a large orange, depending on preference. They can be frozen and reheated in a pot of simmering matzo ball soup. The balls swell during the short boiling time and come out feather-light or dense, depending on the way the recipe was prepared. So you see, that on a very basic level, matzo ball soup is merely chicken stock, oil, eggs and broken up matzo. Matzo ball soup is  naturally popular during Passover, during which time flour is replaced with matzah meal in observant Jewish households.

So, the meal is really very widely-spread.  The recipe is so simple, that you can make matzo ball soup that would please you and your friends. You don't have to be Jewish or wait for Passover to enjoy matzo balls. Matzo balls are delicious dumplings made from unleavened bread meal, usually served in chicken broth or soup. This version includes nuts and spices.

 Now here is the recipe to cook matzo ball soup. Ingredients you need are four eggs, half a cup club soda, vegetable oil or chicken fat (schmaltz), finely chopped parsley, 1/4 cup ground almonds or walnuts, almond or walnut oil ( if not replace by olive oil), 4 or 5 scrapes of freshly grated nutmeg. Matzo meal and pepper are must - ingredients of any matzo ball soup.

Blend in the parsley, almonds or walnuts, almonds or walnut oil, nutmeg, and matzo meal. Then  cover and refrigerate this mixture for about 1 hour. Bring about 5 quarts of water to boil. Rub vegetable oil on hands and form matzo balls with about two tablespoons of mixture. Well, when the broth for the matzo ball soup is boiling (usually it is a thick chicken broth), drop the balls into the water and simmer covered for about 25 to 35. 

The broth will be the same for both, and it is rich and loaded with the beautiful root vegetables that are readily available now at any supermarket. And that is all- the matzo ball soup is ready! Isn`t it fine to have a light snack with the least time and efforts for cooking? Just do not forget, that matzo ball soup is served with minted-yogurts.