Spielberg’s favorite matzah brei recipe

JTA — Why is this matzah brei different from all others?

It’s a favorite of Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg, that’s why.

The Academy Award-winning director — the force behind “Schindler’s List,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “E.T.” and scores of other popular films — has shared his family matzah brei recipe with Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow’s upscale food and lifestyle website.

“Uncle Morty’s Gourmet Matzos Brie,” as it’s called at Goop, calls for the slightly unusual method of soaking matzah pieces in milk instead of water. It also includes chopped onion — placing it definitively in the savory, not sweet, category.

It also specifies a specific brand of matzah: Streit’s, “in business since 1925,” the recipe notes. Streit’s made headlines when it closed its iconic Lower East Side factory in 2015 and moved production to New Jersey.

Goop also published Jewish food maven Joan Nathan’s matzah brie recipe in a special “Kosher For Passover” section. (By contrast, Nathan’s recipe uses water and schmaltz and calls for a sweet topping, such as cinnamon, honey or maple syrup.)

Matzah brei, which is essentially pieces of matzah fried with eggs, is having a bit of a moment: A specialty matzah brei stand popped up at a New York City market last fall, and a slew of new recipes have been published online.

“I think people are always looking for the next thing to modernize,” said Shannon Sarna-Goldberg, editor of the Jewish food blog The Nosher, a sister site of JTA. “And matzah brei is both beloved and kind of bland, so takes well to flavors.”

One such “flavor” recommended by Spielberg: truffle salt (“if you’re feeling fancy,” as the recipe states).

For the full scoop, head to Goop.