Wet matzo lightly on both sides with cold water (use a few spritzes from a water spray bottle), then sprinkle with coarse salt and, if desired, freshly ground coarse pepper and/or chopped fresh rosemary or other herbs. Bake on a rack in a preheated 400-degree oven 3 to 5 minutes, until dry and crisp.
Matzo can also be brushed with melted butter or extra virgin olive oil, then seasoned with salt and pepper and chopped fresh or dried herbs and baked at 400 degrees until hot and just beginning to brown.
5 medium apples, peeled, cored, halved and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 5 cups), preferably Golden Delicious, Crispin (Mutzu) OR other apples that keep their shape when cooked
To prepare cake batter, in a bowl, with a hand-held electric mixer, beat eggs on medium speed until well mixed. Beat in sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until mixture is thick and foamy. Beat in oil, adding in a steady stream. Scrape down bowl with a rubber spatula. With spatula, stir in matzo cake meal, blending well.
Pour 1/2 of cake batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle about 1/2 of topping mixture evenly over batter. Top with 1/2 of apples and all raisins. Scrape remaining batter over apples, spreading out evenly to cover. Arrange remaining apples on top of batter. Sprinkle evenly with remaining topping mixture.
Bake on rack in center of a preheated 350-degree oven 1 hour and 15 minutes or until sides of cake pull away very slightly from baking dish and topping has begun to caramelize. (A cake tester is not reliable. It will not come out clean due to the moist richness of this cake.) Let stand in baking dish several hours until completely cool before cutting into serving portions. This cake improves with age. Keep covered tightly with plastic wrap, and the next day the topping will have become a moist, candylike coating. Makes 1 (8-inch) square cake.
6 ounces semisweet OR bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces (these days it is possible to find Passover chocolate chips)
In a small bowl, combine cake meal, salt, potato starch and cinnamon. Mix well. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together sugar and margarine on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add blended dry ingredients. By hand, stir in chocolate and nuts. Divide the dough in half and, on the baking sheet, form each into a long loaf about 2 inches wide.
Bake on rack in center of a preheated 350-degree oven 45 to 50 minutes, until firm (will not be browned much). Remove to a rack and let stand on baking sheet until completely cool. When thoroughly cool, use a serrated knife to cut loaves into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Makes 2 (15×4-inch) loaves.
Place matzo boards in 1 or 2 jellyroll or other shallow pans large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour stock over matzos just to cover, and allow to stand for 7 to 8 minutes, until pliable but not mushy.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear zucchini, squash and eggplant in a single layer, turning as each piece softens and turns golden.
Remove from pan. Add tomatoes, cooking 1 minute per side until softened but not mushy. Remove from pan.
In prepared 9-inch pan, arrange a single layer of overlapping zucchini. Lay 1 matzo on top of it. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon consomm powder. Top with a single layer of overlapping squash slices. Layer a second matzo board. Sprinkle a 1/4 teaspoon consomm powder. Top with a layer of overlapping eggplant, followed by third matzo, a sprinkling of 1/4 teaspoon consomm powder and a final layer of overlapping tomatoes.
Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350-degree oven 20 minutes. Garnish with chopped basil arranged in narrow rows. Makes 9 servings.
Set aside 4 sprigs of oregano and strip oregano leaves from rest. Scatter leaves and stripped sprigs over chicken; they will add their perfume to the dish. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and wine. Toss mixture together. Sprinkle chopped olives over chicken.
Bake, uncovered, in a preheated oven 450-degree oven 45 to 60 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink, or a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reads 180 degrees F. Transfer to a platter and garnish with whole olives and reserved oregano sprigs. Makes 6 to 8 servings.