Passover Loukoumades

Passover loukoumades are the Sephardic Jewish answer to the Greek fried-dough classic, swapping wheat flour for matzo meal so the recipe stays kosher for Passover. Outside of the holiday, regular flour works just as well.

The dough is built like pate a choux, water, oil, sugar, and salt brought to a boil before matzo meal goes in all at once. Beat hard while the dough cooks until it forms a ball that pulls away from the sides of the pot.

Eggs go in one at a time, fully incorporated before the next, the same rule that applies to choux pastry. Rushing this step gives you broken dough that will not fry properly.

The syrup needs the most planning, it must be made ahead and refrigerated 12 to 24 hours for the spices to fully infuse. Cinnamon and optional cardamom are the warm-spice notes, orange juice and lemon juice bring brightness against the sweet sugar.

Fry the dough balls in hot oil, dip immediately in the cold syrup so they soak through, and stack on a plate in a mountain. A heavy crown of crushed pistachios finishes the look and adds crunch.

Chef Tips

• Test the oil with a small dough scrap, it should rise and bubble immediately at 350°F (175°C).
• Use a heaping teaspoon scoop for uniform balls that cook evenly.
• Turn the balls in the oil with a slotted spoon so they brown on all sides.
• Dip the hot balls in cold syrup, the temperature contrast pulls the syrup deep into the dough.

Variations

• Drizzle with honey instead of syrup for a more traditional Greek finish.
• Sprinkle with a dust of cinnamon-sugar in addition to the pistachios for extra spice.
• Add a splash of rose water or orange blossom water to the syrup for a Middle Eastern aromatic note.