Passover rolls reimagined with filling are fun and delicious. Truly a Passover treat, they’ll surprise and delight your leavening-starved family and friends.
It’s tough to find decent Passover-friendly snacks other than fruit or carrot and celery sticks. Sure there are Seder leftovers, matzo pudding or kugel and charoset on matzo, but I’m talking about something that isn’t messy and doesn’t require either a fork or a dust pan and broom to clean up the crumbs.Why not a Passover roll with a surprise filling? Bizarre? Only if you’ve never had a Passover roll.
They’re delicious and definitely way better than plain matzo on their own, but in my house, once the Seder is over and we still have a weeks worth of Passover eating, the rolls take on added importance. Whether for a lunch or snack, they become “alternative sandwiches” – delivery vehicles for whatever is on hand as a filling.
While Passover rolls are convenient (especially because they microwave well, unlike bread or “real” rolls), turning them into sandwiches does have a downside. Their round shape often causes a mess when you carry them in a lunchbag or press too hard when eating. Baking the rolls already filled takes care of that design defect. Call them Jewish baked bao, matzo meal calzone, or simply filled Passover rolls – who cares as long as you enjoy them?
The “stuffed Passover roll” idea came to me after I read a post by blogging friend, Marc Matsumoto. Although Marc makes a mean lemon ricotta matzo brei, he isn’t someone I would typically go to for Jewish food advice. Nevertheless, last week, his recipe for a peanut butter-infused biscuit with a jelly filling, caused sparks the Passover part of my culinary imagination. Marc bears no responsibility for what follows, but if you like the concept, then he gets credit for inspiring me.
The “dough” for the rolls is not sweet: although rolled in sugar, the charoset-filled rolls are more brioche-like, than a cookie or cake-like dessert. (Actually, this isn’t quite charoset, as I didn’t include spices or liquid. You could add cinnamon and/or ginger. If you were to add liquid, only a splash, to keep the filling from getting too moist.) The peanut butter and jelly version is less gooey than it would be if you simply slathered PB&J on a roll, but still cries out for a glass of milk or other drink.
Passover Rolls Filled with Charoset or Peanut Butter & Jelly
Servings – 12 rolls Cost – $4
Ingredients (Besides matzo meal, salt, sugar, eggs, water, and margarine for rolls.)
Charoset Filling (without liquid) – for 12 rolls
- ½ cup finely peeled and chopped apple
- ½ cup finely chopped dates
- 2 tablespoons blanched (skin off), sliced almonds, crushed into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ – ½ cup sugar
Peanut Butter & Jelly Filling – for 12 rolls
- 3-4 tablespoons peanut butter (works best if you refrigerate it easier to handle)
- 3-4 tablespoons jelly
Equipment (Besides the equipment for the basic Passover rolls)
For Charoset
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Measuring spoons
- Plate for sugar
For peanut butter and jelly
- 2 small spoons (teaspoons or smaller)
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (Note that it is slightly lower than the temperature for the unfilled rolls.)
- For charoset, mix all the ingredients together.
- For the peanut butter and jelly version, open the jars.
- Shape Passover rolls, then make a deep well with your index finger
- Fill the well with either the charoses or the peanut butter and jelly with about 1 heaping tablespoon of charoses filling or slightly less than 1 teaspoon each of peanut butter and jelly, making sure that the walls of the well are higher than the filling. Close the roll by folding the top of the walls over the filling and rolling again with your hands until the filling is completely enclosed.
- For the charoset version, roll the stuffed rolls in sugar.
- Bake the rolls for 40-50 minutes until light brown.
- Cool on rack.
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