Matzoh ball
Matzo balls in a bowl of soup
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| Alternative names | kneydl (frequently also transliterated as knaidel or kneidel) |
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| Type | Dumpling |
| Region or state | Ashkenazi Jewish areas of Central and Eastern Europe, Israel and the Jewish Diaspora |
| Serving temperature | temperature at which broth simmers |
| Main ingredients | matzah meal, egg, water, oil or schmaltz or margarine |
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Matzah balls (Yiddish: קניידלעך kneydlekh pl., singular קניידל kneydl; with numerous other transliterations) or matzo balls are an Ashkenazi Jewish soup dumpling made from a mixture of matzah meal, eggs, water, and a fat, such as oil, margarine, or chicken fat. Matzah balls are traditionally served in chicken soup. For some they are a staple food on Passover.
Schmaltz (chicken fat) imparts a distinctive flavor, but many modern cooks prefer vegetable oils or margarine. The balls are dropped into a pot of salted boiling water or chicken soup, then the heat turned down to a simmer and a lid placed on the pot. The balls swell during the cooking time of approximately 30 minutes.
The texture of matzah balls may be light or dense, depending on the recipe and the skill of the cook. Enthusiasts classify matzah balls as "floaters" or "sinkers".
Although official transliterations, done by the YIVO Institute, of Yiddish words into English exist, many transliterations are commonly performed on a nonstandard basis. Alternate transliterations of the Yiddish term for matzah ball, in the singular, include: knaidl, knaidel, kneidl, and kneidel. Transliterations in the plural include: knaidels, knaidlach, knaidelach, kneidels, kneidlach, kneidelach, kneydls, kneydels, and kneydlach.
The various transliterations of the term gave rise to minor controversy in June 2013, when it was the winning word in the 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Thirteen-year-old Arvind Mahankali of New York spelled "knaidel" correctly in accordance with Webster's Third New International Dictionary, the official dictionary of the Bee, to become the champion. However, there was controversy whether that was indeed the definitive spelling of the term, with others preferring "knaydel", "kneydel", "knadel", or "kneidel".
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