5-ingredient make-ahead Passover recipes: Brisket, flourless chocolate cake and more
To help home cooks enjoy a delicious Passover Seder this year, recipe developer Jason Goldstein joined "GMA" to share three simple five-ingredient make-ahead and one-pan dishes.
Check out his full recipes below and find some kitchen tools and products to help create the perfect meal with ease.
Passover Potato Kugel
"This is a simple one-dish recipe that is traditional for Passover. Make this the day before so the flavors can blend together -- it heats up wonderfully," Goldstein said. "The onion serves as a flavor bomb to the potatoes, and the eggs add a fluffy texture to the potato kugel."
Ingredients
5 russet potatoes, grated (once grated, use a kitchen towel to squeeze as much liquid as you can from the potatoes so the kugel will be crispy)
1 1/2 onion, grated
6 tablespoons vegetable oil (plus 2 additional tablespoons for bottom and sides of the casserole dish)
5 eggs
1/2 cup matzo meal
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Then take the additional 2 tablespoons of oil and rub it all over the casserole dish, leaving some at the bottom to help fry the bottom of the kugel. Pour the potato mixture into the casserole dish, and then even out the top with a spoon. Bake for two hours at 350 F.
Slow Cooker Brisket
Serves 6-8 people
Ingredients
3 pounds first cut brisket
2 packages onion soup mix
2 large Spanish onions (chopped)
2 large carrots (chopped)
1/2 tablespoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
Pat salt pepper and oregano all over the brisket on both sides.
Next add 1/2 the onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1 packet onion soup mix, a pinch of salt, and a dash of pepper to the bottom of the slow cooker. Mix together to combine.
Place the brisket on top of the mixture and then pour the second packet of onion soup mix, covering both sides of the brisket.
Place the remaining onion and carrots and a pinch of salt and pepper on top of the brisket.
Cover and cook for 6 hours on low.
After slow-cooking for six hours, cover the brisket with tin foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes so the juices stay in the meat. Be sure to cut against the grain (the opposite of how the meat strands appear)
Top with parsley and enjoy!
Home cook-friendly hacks
- Making the brisket in a slow cooker saves oven space for all your sides.
- The onion soup packet is a family secret -- get lots of flavor with less work.
- Because you're cooking in the slow cooker, you don't need any additional liquid because the juice from the brisket will baste the meat, making it nice and juicy.
- It is important to buy a first cut brisket from your butcher because it is the most evenly cut brisket with the best amount of fat, which will help it to cook evenly
- Salt the brisket overnight the day before assembling the dish so the flavors get all the way through the brisket and not just on the surface.
- This is the perfect dish to make the day ahead -- it tastes even better the next day. You can actually warm it back up on low in a slow cooker a couple hours before your guests come.
- Make sure you let the beef rest 30 minutes before you cut it so all the juices can redistribute and you will not lose any other juiciness.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 stick unsalted butter
4 eggs
2 tablespoons coffee
1/8 teaspoon salt
Optional toppings
1 handful blueberries
1 handful raspberries
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven 350 F.
First, place the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave 30 seconds at a time until all the chocolate is melted.
Let the chocolate cool slightly and add the eggs, salt and coffee. Mix to combine.
Next, pour the chocolate mixture into a buttered spring form pan lined with parchment
Now, place in the oven on the middle rack and bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.
If desired, top with your favorite fruit and powdered sugar!
Home cook-friendly hacks
- If you separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and whip and fold the egg whites, you will get a fluffier cake.
- Using dark chocolate gives a depth of flavor and richness to the cake that you cannot get from milk chocolate.
- Adding coffee adds richness to the chocolate.
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