Not every Passover recipe needs to involve matzah. This is true. But when it must, I vote for this to live in the hall of fame alongside matzah brittle and matzah pizza. These creamy, everything-crusted cheese bites use crisp matzah shards as little edible handles and are one of my favorite examples of the fact that the cutest appetizer is often the first one to disappear.
PrintHerbed Cheese Truffles with Matzah Crisps
A creamy, herby cheese appetizer rolled in everything seasoning and finished with, well, crisp matzah. Let’s call them matzah crisps.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 cheese bites
Ingredients
For the cheese mixture
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 ounces goat cheese or farmer cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the coating
- Everything seasoning (store-bought or homemade; see Note)
For the matzah crisps
- 2 sheets matzah
- Olive oil
- Flaky salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Break the matzah into irregular, finger-length pieces. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake on a sheet pan until golden and crisp, 6–8 minutes. Let cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, farmer (or goat) cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes, until slightly firm.
- Roll the chilled cheese into small balls (about 1 tablespoon each). Roll generously in everything seasoning until evenly coated.
- Just before serving, press a matzah crisp into the top of each cheese bite so it stands upright.
- The cheese bites can be shaped and coated up to 2 days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator. Add the matzah crisps just before serving so they stay crunchy.
Note: Everything seasoning varies widely; if observing Passover, check labels or make a simple KFP version at home: Combine 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes, and 1 tablespoon dried garlic flakes. Store airtight.
